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Welcome to the EATC course book

The Education Agent Training Course (EATC) is a free, self-paced, industry-recommended course that
provides education agents with information about the Australian education system and Australia as a
study destination. The course material is also a resource to help agents remain aware of changes and
developments in international education.

Australian Education International (AEI) and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection
(DIBP) provided support in the development of the EATC.

Qualification

Education agents can become Qualified Education Agent Counsellors (QEACs) and be listed in the QEA
database. Becoming a qualified counsellor helps demonstrate your professionalism to prospective
students, their parents and educational institutions. Many Australian education institutions require
their agents to have the QEAC qualification before considering engaging their services. To become a
QEAC, an agent needs to successfully complete the Certification Exam of the Education Agent Training
Course.

Course Material

The Education Agent Training Course covers four areas relevant to education counsellors specialising
in Australia as an education destination:

 Australia, the AQF and Career Trends

 Legislation and Regulations

 Working Effectively in International Education

 Professional Standards and Ethics

Once you have finished working though the material in each unit, you should undertake the self-
assessment questions corresponding to each unit. These questions are similar to those that you will
face in the Certification Exam.

PIER estimates that at a very minimum, it will take all test candidates a minimum of fifty (SO) hours to
stud the Education Agent Training Course (EATC).

PIER strongly recommends, regardless of your past experience in being an education agent for
Australia, that you spend a more than adequate amount of time preparing in the EATC learning
materials and that you visit all of the external websites that are referenced throughout the course.

Up-to-date Information

The EATC is continuously updated with information about international education in Australia. It is an
excellent resource and training tool both for individuals wishing to enter the international education
industry as agents or existing agents simply looking for updated information about the industry.

Course Book

The Course Book was created to provide learners with an offline, printable version of the EATC that is
available to peruse on the go and comes as part of an accelerated Certification option.

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While the Course Book provides an offline study option for the EATC, it is expected you visit websites
referenced within the course book. Questions on the EATC Certification Exam may refer to external
websites, such as the CRICOS and DIBP websites. These are hyperlinked on the online course. It is
important you familiarise yourself with the websites before attempting the examination.

This course book was compiled in November 2022.

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Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
This chapter will cover:

A2. Australia

A3. Australian Education

A4. Australian Schools

A5. ELICOS

A6. Vocational Education & Training

A8. Post Secondary School Courses and Careers

A9. Extension: Useful Information

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A2. Australian Overview
Coming to Australia to study can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience for many students.
As an education agent, you can help your students be prepared for their new life here. It’s important
that you can reassure them about the benefits of studying in our relaxed, safe, and multicultural
society.

If you have a better understanding of Australia, this will help you deal with its culture, laws, and people
during your work as an education agent.

Focus Questions

What are some historical events that have helped to shape Australia’s society?

1. How is Australia’s population distributed?

2. How diverse is Australian society concerning the nationalities of its migrants, the languages spoken
at home, and the religions followed?
3. Which cities in Australia have relatively mild and dry climates?

4. What are some unique features of Australia’s natural environment?

5. What levels of government exist in Australia?

A2.1 History
Pre-Colonisation

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people possess the most ancient living culture on Earth,
having inhabited the land for an estimated 80,000 years before it was colonised. Estimates of how
many Indigenous people lived in Australia at the time of European settlement vary from 300,000 to 1
million. However, there were at least 250 distinct language groups before colonisation, with
approximately 700 dialects spoken across 500 different clan groups or ‘nations’.

Traditional Aboriginal culture and social organisation depended on a complex system of rules and
kinship networks. This is informed by a sophisticated system of beliefs, called the Dreaming, which
define the roles and responsibilities of people and their relationships between each other and the land.
Such cultural practices are expressed, preserved and passed on through a rich oral tradition.

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There remains an extensive mix of traditions, spiritualities and customs among today’s Indigenous
population. Traditional beliefs and practices vary significantly across different regions and groups.

However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people generally share a common holistic worldview
that emphasises the reciprocal relationship and interconnectedness between people, landforms,
animals and other elements of natural landscapes. This philosophy is based on spirituality, ecology
and consensual-communal organisation, and involves a custodial relationship to the land that many
believe confirms their Indigenous identity.

1600s/1700s

The European exploration of Australia started in the 1600s, when Dutch explorers visited the northern
and western coasts of Australia and discovered Tasmania. The first British explorer to the area was
William Dampier, who landed on the northwest coast in 1688. In 1770, James Cook landed on the
eastern coast of Australia, naming it ‘New South Wales’ and claiming the territory for Great Britain.
European settlement of Australia began in 1788, when Britain established a penal colony on the east
coast. British colonisation aimed to use Australia as a base for trade with South East Asia and China,
and also relieve the overcrowded prisons in Britain.

Captain Arthur Phillip commanded eleven ships full of convicts, military guards and officials, arriving in
Australia on January 18, 1788 at Botany Bay. After 8 days, this group of 1,373 people, (including 732
convicts) moved a few kilometres north to Port Jackson. Their settlement here later grew into the city of
Sydney.

Australia Day (26th of January) is an annual public holiday that commemorates the start of
settlement at Port Jackson.

However, colonisation had devastating impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The
original population was reduced by approximately 90% as they were exposed to foreign diseases or
killed; many were dispossessed from their traditional lands and separated from their cultural identities.

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1800s

The colonisation of Australia grew rapidly and expanded across the entire continent. Within the next
hundred years, additional colonies were established near present day Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, and
Melbourne. Colonists faced difficult conditions in settling the new environment. A national character of
toughness, independence and perseverance emerged.

Great Britain sent over a further 160,000 convicts to Australia over the following 80 years. The rise of the
wool industry and discovery of gold in the mid-1800s also saw many British and Irish settlers arrive
voluntarily. Around 40,000 Chinese immigrants came to Australia in search of gold between 1852 and
1889.

Australia’s distance from Europe made British governance over the colonies difficult. The colonists also
wanted self-governance, so in 1850 the British Government gave the colonies the power to make their
own laws.

By the end of the 19th century, Australia consisted of six self-governing colonies: New South Wales,
Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Each colony was a distinct
political entity with its own parliament, governor, laws and regulations.

1900s

It was eventually agreed that the colonies needed to join together to protect and promote their
common interests. A national government was created on January 1, 1901, an event known as
‘Federation’. This produced a united country and resulted in important feelings of pride and patriotism
in the Australian public. (You’ll learn more about the Federal Government in section 1.5).

Australia faced a national challenge when it entered World War I. Soldiers from the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps (called the ANZACs) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915.
They fought an unsuccessful battle that lasted for 8 months and resulted in 26,111 Australian casualties.
However, the fighting and personal qualities of the ANZACs contributed to the national identity and
helped to unite the Australian people. Today, ANZAC Day is a national holiday on the 25th of April that
commemorates the contributions and sacrifices of all men and women from the armed services.

Almost a million Australians served in World War II. The Australian mainland came under direct attack
for the first time as Japanese aircrafts bombed Darwin and Japanese submarines attacked Sydney
Harbour. Australia’s vulnerability to an invasion influenced a decision to increase its population and
encourage the migration of people from about 200 countries.

In total, about 7 million people have migrated to Australia since the end of WWII (including displaced
people). Their arrival has influenced all aspects of Australian society.

Today, more than one in four Australians were born overseas. New Zealand and United Kingdom have
been the largest source countries for migrants. More recently, immigration from Asian countries such
as China and India have become more significant.

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A2.2 Population and Culture
Population

Australia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. This is due to its small population
and its large area of approximately 7.7 million square kilometres. These statistics about population,
economy and area are from the ABS:

Country Area (km2) Density (people per km2)

Australia 7,703,556.6 2.85

Canada 9,971,000 3

Japan 377,000 336

New Zealand 268,000 14

United Kingdom 242,000 244

United States of America 9,809,000 29

About 20% of Australians live in Sydney

Australians are among the most urbanized people in the world. For example, just over 60% of them live
in the capital cities and about 20% live in Sydney. Also, around 80% of the inhabitants of each state and
territory live within 100 km of their capital cities. The following statistics are from the Australian Bureau
of Statistics (ABS) from the 2021 census. You can find the full report here:

 The 2021 Census counted 25,422,788 people in Australia (excludes overseas visitors), an increase of
8.6 per cent since the 2016 Census.
 49.3 per cent of the population were male with a median age of 37 years old.

 50.7 per cent of the population were female with the median age of 39 years old.

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 State / Territory Area (km2) Capital City Total population

NSW 801,150 Sydney 8,072,163

VIC 227,416 Melbourne 6,503,491

QLD 2,529,875 Brisbane 5,156,138

SA 1,730,648 Adelaide 1,781,516

WA 983,482 Perth 2,660,026

TAS 68,401 Hobart 557,571

NT 1,349,129 Darwin 232,605

ACT 2,358 Canberra 454,499

TOTAL (incl. other 25,422,788

territories)

Multiculturalism

Australians pride themselves on their friendliness and cultural diversity. The population lives in a
generally safe, friendly, sophisticated and harmonious society. Many ethnic groups are represented in
Australia, making it one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.

Australia’s diversity is described here:

 Over 28% of Australians were born in another country.

 21% of Australians have at least one parent who was born overseas.
 Australian migrants are from more than 190 countries;
 2.8% of Australians are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.

Languages

Although English is the official language in Australia, there are more than 200 languages are spoken in
Australian households.

Some interesting figures from the 2016 Australian Census of Population and Housing:

 more than one-fifth of Australians speak a language other than English at home (4,858,804
people)

 over 64,000 Australians speak an Indigenous language at home

 about 7% of the total population speaks one of the six most commonly spoken languages (other
than English) at their home.

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The ABS provide these statistics about the number and proportion of people who spoke a language
other than English at home in 2016:

Language Number of people Proportion of population (%)

Mandarin 596,711 2.5

Arabic 321,728 1.4

Cantonese 244,600 1.2

Vietnamese 277,400 1.2

Italian 271,597 1.2

Greek 237,125 1.0

Tagalog (Filipino) 182,498 0.8

Hindi 159,637 0.7

The Australian accent is easy to understand. While there are some minor differences in accent
between city and country areas, the difference is much less than you would find in the USA, Britain or
Canada.

Religion

Australia is predominantly a Christian country; however, all religions are represented in Australian
society, and people are free to practise their choice of religion. Churches, mosques, temples and
synagogues are located in most major cities.

Major religious affiliations for the years 1901, 2001, 2011 and 2016 are compared below

(from the ABS):

Census year Christian (%) Other religions (%) No religion (%)

1901 96.1 1.4 0.4

2001 68.0 4.9 15.5

2011 61.1 7.2 22.3

2016 52.1 8.2 30.1

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A2.3 Climate and Environment
Temperature

Australia has a relatively warm climate. However, extreme temperatures have been recorded such as:

 53°C at Cloncurry (Queensland) in 1889

 -23°C at Charlotte Pass (NSW) in 1994.

Australia’s climatic zones are shown below from the Bureau of Meteorology:

This map indicates that summers tend to be hotter and more humid in the north and winters are
usually colder in the south. These temperature differences are revealed in the average temperatures
for Australia’s capital cities in this table (from the Australian Bureau of Statistics):

Australian City January January July July

Max (°C) Min (°C) Max (°C) Min (°C)

Adelaide (SA) 28.7 16.8 15.2 7.4

Brisbane (QLD) 29.3 21.2 20.6 9.5

Canberra (ACT) 27.7 13.3 11.5 -0.1

Darwin (NT) 31.8 24.8 30.7 19.4

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 Hobart (Tas) 21.8 12.5 12.2 4.7

Melbourne (Vic) 25.8 15.4 13.9 6.8

Perth (WA) 31.9 17.2 17.9 8.4

Sydney (NSW) 26.1 19.4 17.2 8.6

Overall Australian cities tend to have mild climates in comparison to other cities in English-speaking
countries. The following average temperatures have been compiled from the World Meteorological
Organization:

World City Summer Summer Winter Winter

Max (°C) Min (°C) Max (°C) Min (°C)

Sydney (Australia) 26.1 19.4 17.2 8.6

London (England) 22.3 13.7 7.2 2.4

New York (USA) 28.2 20.1 3.1 -3.9

Auckland (New Zealand) 23.6 15.9 14.0 6.9

Toronto (Canada) 26.4 17.9 -1.1 -7.1

Rainfall

Australia has a low average annual rainfall but high falls occur in the north. The rainfall zones are
shown below from the Bureau of Meteorology:

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This map shows that northern and eastern regions have wet summers and that central Australia is
very dry. This is revealed in the data of the rainfall in Australian cities as listed below (from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics). It is clear that Darwin in the tropical north has the highest summer
rainfall and highest annual rainfall.

City Summer Autumn Winter Spring Total

Dec / Jan Mar / Apr Jun / Jul Sep / Oct (mm)
/ Feb / May / Aug / Nov

Adelaide 59.9 129.8 227.6 129.4 546.7

Brisbane 452.5 349.7 150.4 237.6 1190.2

Canberra 166.8 144.2 134.0 185.0 630.0

Darwin 1106.9 503.9 10.1 226.1 1847.0

Hobart 143.8 124.7 150.4 147.6 566.5

Melbourne 162.5 150.9 148.3 192.9 654.6

Perth 38.1 145.2 416.9 147.4 747.6

Sydney 340.6 388.9 288.4 258.6 1276.5

Biodiversity

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Australia has a wide variety of unique distinctive flora and fauna. The major reason for this is related to
its geological history. Initially, Australia was part of a larger continent but about 40 million years ago it
separated fully and became an isolated continent.

After this separation, marsupial mammals best adapted to the Australian environment and eventually
dominated it. Australia is one of the few places on Earth to have such a large number of marsupials,
and to have the only two monotreme mammals. These two types of fauna can be explained as follows:

 Marsupial mammals give birth to their young and carry them in a pouch.
 Examples – Kangaroo, Koala, Wombat.
 Monotreme mammals lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

 Examples – Platypus, Echidna.

Despite its long history, Australia’s biodiversity has changed dramatically in the last 200 years. Since
European settlement many ecosystems have been radically simplified and fragmented. Also, many
plants and animals have been introduced from around the world, and they have had serious
environmental consequences. An example of this is the cane toad.

Natural Wonders

Australia is an island continent and its landscape consists mainly of low plateaus, which are sectioned
off by several rugged mountain ranges. The Great Dividing Range is the longest mountain range that
starts in central Victoria and ends in Northern Queensland and is several thousand kilometres in
length.

The landscape in the tropical north consists of rainforest that leads into large areas of grasslands.
These eventually merge into the central deserts, which are the largest in the world outside of the
Sahara. This part of Australia is called the Red Centre, because of the unusual red colour of its sand.

Three unique natural wonders are described here:

1. Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2000 km and covers an area of almost 35 million hectares on the
north-east continental shelf of Australia. It runs from north of Fraser Island to the tip of Cape York and
provides habitats for many forms of marine life.

The Reef is a scuba divers paradise with 2,900 individual reefs, 71 coral islands, 350 different species of
coral, and over 1,500 species of fish. Also, it provides a major breeding ground for humpback whales
and a feeding ground for endangered species such as dugongs and turtles.

2. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park covers 132,566 hectares close to the centre of Australia and is owned by
the Anangu Aboriginal people. It contains a range of remarkable geological and landform features
including the spectacular monoliths of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas).

The park is co-managed by Parks Australia and the Anangu people. Uluru has been the focus of
religious, cultural, territorial and economic inter-relations among the Aboriginal peoples of the Western
Desert for thousands of years. It is 340 metres high and has a circumference of 9.4 kilometres.

Kata Tjuta means ‘many heads and rock formations consist of 36 steep-sided domes. Mount Olga is its
highest peak at 500 metres high.

3. Tasmanian Wilderness

The island state of Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia. The Tasmanian Wilderness World
Heritage area is one of the largest conservation reserves in Australia. It covers about 20 per cent of
Tasmania (1.38 million hectares), and it is one of only three temperate wilderness areas remaining in
the Southern Hemisphere.

This area contains rocks of every geological period and is a major centre for plant diversity. Its Huon
pines, which can be up to 2000 years old, are some of the oldest trees in the world. Also, several
animals that are now extinct on mainland Australia still survive there.

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A2.4 Geography

The States and Territories and their capital cities are briefly introduced below:

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) – Canberra

Canberra is Australia’s federal capital and the largest inland city. Set in a broad valley in the southern
tablelands of New South Wales, Canberra is a well-planned lakeside city of parklands, impressive
restaurants, beautiful bushland and leafy suburbs.

Canberra is only a three-hour drive or a 45-minute flight south-west of Sydney. It also has many
national attractions, embassies and public buildings.

Canberra is famous for:

 Parliament House.
 The Australian War Memorial.
 The National Gallery of Australia.

 The National Museum of Australia.

New South Wales (NSW) – Sydney

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New South Wales was founded in 1788 and is Australia’s oldest State. A narrow coastal plain runs the
length of its east coast, and to the west is the Great Dividing Range. Beyond these mountains, a
tableland gradually slopes down to the plains, which cover most of the State.

NSW is the most populous State in Australia and the majority of its inhabitants live along the coast. It
has dense forests, alpine country, deserts, and golden-sand beaches and bays on its North Coast.

Australia’s longest river system, the Murray-Darling, is situated in this State. Agriculturally, it is
renowned for its sheep and beef industry.

NSW is famous for:

 The Sydney Opera House.

 The Sydney Harbour Bridge.

 The Blue Mountains – a national park about 1 hour west of Sydney.

Northern Territory (NT) – Darwin

The Northern Territory is known for its central desert called the ‘Red’ Centre. Here the main features are
rugged mountain ranges and huge rocks rising from the desert plains. Uluru is the most famous
geological feature in this region (see 1.3).

Its capital, Darwin, was established in 1869 as a port and centre for the cattle industry. Mineral wealth
and tourism has become more important, and Darwin has recently reinvented itself as a gateway to
Asia.

NT is famous for:

 Kakadu National Park – east of Darwin.

 Alice Springs – a town in the centre of the Northern Territory.

 Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park – south-east of Darwin.

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Queensland (QLD) – Brisbane

Queensland takes up about one-fifth of the area of Australia. Along its eastern coastline are fertile
plains and river valleys, which sometimes extend up to 200 km inland. The Great Dividing Range
borders these lowlands, stretching south from Cape York to the New South Wales border. The major
agricultural products are tropical fruits, beef and wool.

Brisbane was settled by convicts in 1825 and is known for its sunny days and tropical weather. Just
north of Brisbane are the beaches and coastal lakes of the Sunshine Coast, and to the south is the
popular tourist destination of the Gold Coast.

Queensland is famous for:

 The rainforests of Far North Queensland.

 The Great Barrier Reef – a more than 2000 km long coral reef north-east of the mainland.
 Fraser Island – the largest sand island in the world, which is 3 hours north of Brisbane.
 The Gold Coast – a major holiday destination for national and international tourists.

South Australia (SA) – Adelaide

South Australia is the driest state in Australia. Over 60% of it is desert and 80% receives less than
250mm of rain per year. However, the south-east corner has dry warm summers and cool wet winters.
Along with rich fertile soil, this climate makes it ideal for growing wine.

Adelaide contains some of Australia’s best-preserved Victorian architecture. This gracious city is
surrounded by parkland and is home to 73% of South Australians.

SA is famous for

 The Barossa Valley – a major wine producing area north-east of Adelaide.

 Coober Pedy – an opal mining town that is underground.

 The Adelaide Festival of Arts – held every 2 years.

Tasmania (Tas) – Hobart

Tasmania was cut off from mainland Australia at the end of the last Ice Age, and it is known for its
unique wildlife, wilderness and unspoiled beauty. The National Parks offer one of the last great
wilderness areas in the world. Tasmania’s capital Hobart, was settled in 1803 when the British
government in Sydney sent soldiers and convicts there to protect their sealing and whaling interests.

Tasmania has substantial farming, forestry, hydro-electric, mining and fishery industries.

Tasmania is famous for:

 Port Arthur Historic site – this was once a prison for convicts.

 The Sydney to Hobart yacht race – starts every year on Dec 26th.
 Its bushwalking – many wilderness areas are only accessible on foot.

Victoria (Vic) – Melbourne

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Victoria is the smallest state on Australia’s mainland but also the fastest growing state. It was settled in
1834 and separated from New South Wales in 1851 at the time when gold was discovered at Ballarat
and Bendigo.

Its capital, Melbourne offers colonial and contemporary architecture, beautiful botanical gardens,
excellent restaurants and a vibrant artistic community. Melbourne is also considered Australia’s
sporting capital and holds the most famous horse race in Australia each November: the Melbourne
Cup. Victoria’s High Country offers some of the best mountain climbing on the continent.

Victoria is famous for:

 The goldfields of central Victoria.

 Sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup horse race.

 The Great Ocean Road – spectacular coastal scenery west of Melbourne.

Western Australia (WA) – Perth

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia. The capital, Perth, is situated on the Swan River and
has all the modern conveniences, while maintaining a friendly and relaxed feeling. White sandy
beaches are only minutes from the city.

Rich farmland lies inland as well as some of the world’s most productive goldfields. The state’s wealth
also includes iron, nickel, wheat and wool, which are mostly exported from the port of Fremantle.

The north of the state boasts a wide variety of attractions including gorges and national parks, the
stunning beaches of Broome, and the friendly dolphins of Monkey Mia.

WA is famous for:

 Kalgoorlie – a gold mining town located in the Western Desert.

 Ningaloo Marine Park – 1,200 km north of Perth.

 Fremantle (20mins south-west of Perth).

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A2.5 Government
Federal

Australia is a liberal parliamentary democracy, similar to the USA and UK. It is based on:

 freedom of speech and association,

 religious tolerance.

Australia’s written constitution outlines all government activities. For example, the federal government
is responsible for foreign relations and trade, defence and immigration. Other aspects of governance
are shared between the States and the Federal Government. In particular, Federal and State
governments cooperate in administering the laws that govern education.

The Australian government is based on a popularly elected Parliament with two chambers, the House
of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House). The party that holds the majority of
seats in the House of Representatives forms the government. However, minority parties often hold the
balance of power in the Senate, which serves to review the decisions of the government.

Government Ministers are appointed from the Lower House and Upper House to conduct executive
government. Policy decisions are made in Cabinet meetings.

Voting in Australia is compulsory and about 90% of voters participate in federal elections. Elections
usually occur every 2.5 to 3 years.

The Federal Government’s leader is called the Prime Minister. Currently, the main political parties and
people involved in the federal government are summarised here:

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 Government Opposition

Prime Minister Leader of the Opposition

The Hon. Anthony Albanese – a member of the Mr Peter Dutton - a member of the Liberal Party
Australian Labor Party of Australia

Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Leader of the Opposition

The Hon. Richard Marles – a member of the Ms Sussan Ley - a member of the Liberal Party of
Australian Labor Party Australia

Members of other smaller political parties have seats in the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament.

Although Australia is an independent nation, King Charles III of Britain is formally King of Australia and
is the constitutional monarch. The King accepts the advice of the elected Australian Government to
appoint a Governor-General, who represents him. The Governor-General has wide powers but by
convention acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister. In the States, the King is represented by State
Governors.

State

Each State and Territory has its own democratically elected government and leader:

 the State Government leader is called the Premier,

 the Territory leader is called the Chief Minister.

State parliaments are subject to the national Constitution as well as their State constitutions. In
practice, the federal and state governments cooperate in many areas such as education, transport,
health, and law enforcement.

Local

Local government councils control the urban and rural areas, taking care of issues such as local
transport, rubbish collection and town planning. Local councils are active in providing services such as
libraries and childcare services, as well as activities and events. Local councils also promote their
regions as study and tourist destinations, so they sometimes have interaction with education agents.
The leader of a council is called the Mayor.

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A3. Australian Education Overview
Overview

To properly advise students, you need to be confident about how to construct appropriate learning
pathways for them. So, you need to understand the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and to
be familiar with the range of study options available.

Focus Questions

1. What types of Educational Institutions are there in Australia?

2. What types of qualifications can a student gain from each?

3. What is the Australian Qualifications Framework, and why is it useful?

4. What are some of the common points at which international students enter and leave Australia’s
education system?

A3.1 Introduction
What is the Australian Education System?

Schools

Each state government manages the school system within their state and provides funding for their
schools. Both public schools and private schools exist in each state. The curriculum taught in each
state or school may vary but the learning areas are the same in all.

You can find out more about each State and Territory’s education system by viewing their web sites
below:

Australian Capital Territory Department of Education and Training

New South Wales Department of Education and Training

Department of Education

Education Queensland

South Australia Department of Education and Children’s Services

Tasmania Department of Education

Victoria Department of Education and Training

Western Australia Department of Education and Training

Vocational Education and Training

Australia has a Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. VET prepares people for work in a
career that does not need a university degree. The national body ASQA regulates and manages the
system and ensures consistent national standards. Typically, a VET course takes up to two years of
study.

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In the workplace employers use agreed courses and outcomes to set standards of training for
employment. Many parts of industry and business provide ongoing workplace training for their
employees. Some of this training can count towards a qualification. People who are educated
overseas can gain recognition of their training which may help them to get employment.

Higher Education

The national government provides the funding for universities in all the states. While each university is
independent in its governance and can decide on which courses they want to offer and the course
content, they are regulated by TEQSA. Typically, a university course takes three or four years of study.

Participation of Australians in education

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes information about the participation of Australia
residents in education. Participation in education beyond compulsory schooling is encouraged.

For the nation, having a skilled work force is vital in supporting ongoing economic development and
improving living conditions.

In 2020-21, 42% of Australians aged 15-74 years had participated in learning over the past 12 months
(7.8 million people). You can access specific data about participation in education here.

It is compulsory for all Australian students to attend school until Year 10 or age 16.

A3.2 The Australian Qualifications

Framework (AQF)
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a system of seventeen national qualifications in 3
sectors:

 Schools,
 Vocational Education and Training (TAFE and private providers),
 Higher Education (mainly universities).

The qualifications shown below are grouped according to the educational sector in which they are
most commonly issued.

AQF Level School Sector VET Sector Accreditation Higher Education Sector
Accreditation Accreditation

10 Doctoral Degree

9 Masters Degree

24
 8 Vocational Graduate Bachelor Honours
Diploma Graduate Diploma
Vocational Graduate Graduate Certificate
Certificate

7 Bachelor Degree (TAFE NSW Bachelors Degree

only)

6 Associate Degree (TAFE Associate Degree

NSW Only) Advanced Diploma
Advanced Diploma

5 Diploma Diploma

4 Certificate IV

3 Certificate III Certificate III

2 Certificate II Certificate II

1 Certificate I Certificate I

A qualification normally offered in one sector may be provided by an institution in a different sector.
For example:

 schools may offer a Certificate III course within their senior school,
 a University may offer a Diploma,

 some Vocational Colleges may offer Bachelor Degrees.

Are all Australian education courses listed on the AQF?

Some courses are not recorded on the AQF even though they offer excellent education and outcomes.
For example:

 many English language courses (ELICOS),

 some foundation studies,

 non-award programs.

These courses do not award a formal qualification as listed on the AQF table above.

Why is the AQF important?

The AQF is important since it:

 provides a clear structure for the level of each qualification,

 allows students to build their qualifications from lower to higher levels,
 allows one education institution to clearly understand the level of a qualification awarded by
another and provide appropriate credit.

25
 determines the student visa subclass that a student receives when they study in Australia (see B7).

A3.3 Pathways for International Students

The AQF levels show how students can progress through the Australian education system.

International students who arrive in Australia to study may begin at any level of the system, however,
their academic or English proficiency may not match the level that they wish to enter.

As a result, there are specific pathway programs for international students to eventually reach the
level they want to study at. These programs have a variety of names but they all provide entry into
another course of a higher level. Australian government analysis of education pathways that
international students take can be found here.

There are four types of pathway programs that are designed for and are popular with international
students:

Pathway Program Purpose

English language courses (ELICOS) – see A.4 As a route to all levels of qualifications on the
AQF

Foundation Programs As a route to undergraduate and VET courses

Diploma Programs As a route to undergraduate courses

Other Bridging Courses As a route to all levels of qualifications on the

AQF

Foundation Programs

Foundation programs (also known as Foundation Years or University Preparation courses) take many
forms but they offer an alternative means for international students to access post-school institutions.
They are most commonly used as a pathway for students who do not meet the entry requirements of
an undergraduate Bachelor degree program. Such programs are offered by institutions in the School,
VET, ELICOS and Higher Education sectors.

Foundation programs may:

 be offered by private institutions for a particular university,

 offer formal qualifications (normally a Certificate IV),

 not offer a formal qualification.

More specifically, Foundation programs tend to:

 contain academic based subjects,

26
 focus on English language development,
 have minimum entry requirements of successful completion of Year 11 (or equivalent) and an of
IELTS score of 5.5 (or equivalent scores of other acceptable language tests like TOEFL, Cambridge
CAE or PTE),

 be of a comparable academic standard to an Australian Year 12 secondary school qualification,

 normally be one academic year in length,
 often guarantee entry to a particular university course if the student meets the required standards,

 not offer credit in the subsequent program of study.

Some foundation programs are shorter than one year (commonly called ‘express’ or ‘accelerated’
programs) and are typically offered to students who have completed Year 12 and have an IELTS score
of 6.0 (or equivalent scores of TOEFL, CAE, PTE or other ways of satisfying the provider*).

*this depends on the education provider, you need to check with them for specific language
requirements.

Some foundation programs allow students to undertake a longer program than normal with extra
English language development. These are often called ‘extended’ programs and are for students who
have a lower English level (typically IELTS 5.0, TOEFL Paper 500, TOEFL iBT 64 or TOEFL Computer 180).

How are foundation programs different from secondary school Year 12 programs?

Foundation programs are functionally the same as Australian Year 12 secondary school programs and
provide for a similar level of academic work. But there are key differences between these two types of
courses:

Foundation Programs Year 12 Programs

– their results are accepted by those institutions – their results are accepted by all Australian
with prior arrangements and may guarantee a higher education institutions
place in an undergraduate program to a student

– they are typically provided for international – international students typically study
students alone alongside Australian students in most classes

– they are often packaged with the – they are not packaged with an undergraduate
undergraduate program the student wishes to program
study

– they are designed for international students – they are designed to meet the needs of
who wish to go in to higher education Australian students who may seek a variety of
outcomes

– they develop the student's academic English, – they may not directly develop these skills
communication and cultural awareness skills

27
 – they focus on the subjects typically taken by – they have a wider range of subject choices for
international students at an undergraduate level students

– they often focus on the delivery of higher – they normally focus on classroom learning
education learning such as lectures and tutorials

– they are typically delivered in an adult college – they are mostly delivered in a school setting
environment (e.g. regarding uniforms, extra-curricular
activities, and school camps)

– their students are usually aged from 17 to early – their students are typically aged from 16 to 18
20s, with some 'mature-age students'

– if the program is linked to a university, the – they are designed by State education
students commonly have use of the university’s authorities
facilities, the university’s academic staff have
input into the program, and the university tracks
the performance of ex-foundation students in
undergraduate programs

Recognition of Foundation programs

The recognition of a foundation program by universities can vary greatly. Many universities guarantee
entry to students undertaking their endorsed program but only recognise other foundation programs
on a case-by-case basis.

Generally, the Group of 8 (Go8) foundation programs are more widely accepted and are likely to
provide entry into most Australian universities. However, other programs may have difficulty in
providing entry into the Go8 Universities, except for their highest achieving students.

As an agent, you must ensure that any student intending to take a foundation program
understands which universities or higher education providers accept that program.

Diploma Programs

You’ll look at Diploma programs in more detail in section A6 relating to Vocational Education and
Training (VET), as they are commonly part of that sector.

However, international students often take Diploma courses principally as a pathway to an

undergraduate program rather than for the Diploma qualification itself. Business or Information
Technology courses tend to be the most popular fields of study.

These courses are promoted by TAFE, private colleges and higher education institutions providing
entry to undergraduate programs, and are packaged with undergraduate courses. For example, a
student who successfully completes the Diploma will typically gain entry into the second year of an
undergraduate Business degree.

In this way, these courses provide a pathway into undergraduate programs for students who would
otherwise not meet the entry requirements of the undergraduate program.

28
They are marketed as competitors to foundation programs and in many cases accept students from
similar educational backgrounds. In some cases, students may undertake a foundation program in
order to access a Diploma and then an undergraduate program.

How are Diploma Programs different from Foundation Programs?

Universities offer credit to students who have completed a Diploma program. This usually means that
they enter a Bachelor degree program in the second year. Even though Diploma courses are longer
than foundation programs, this credit allows Diploma students to complete their studies in a shorter
time than if they undertake a foundation program and then an undergraduate course.

There are a few further differences as outlined below:

Diploma Programs Foundation Programs

– they always provide a qualification – not all of them provide a qualification

– they have a more limited subject base than – they often provide entry into a wide range of
foundation programs, so there are fewer options undergraduate courses offered at their partner
for further study. Typically, they provide entry to university
Business and IT courses

– the most prestigious Australian universities – the most prestigious universities prefer to
typically do not provide much credit (if any) to endorse foundation programs as their preferred
on-shore Diploma programs. This makes pathway
Diploma programs less beneficial or attractive
for students who wish to enter these universities.
The most prestigious Universities often do not
support a Diploma partnership as a mechanism
for entry into their undergraduate programs

Diploma programs are a key pathway for international students. Universities that promote Diploma
programs may also have a foundation pathway available to students. This option may be useful for
students intending to take non-Business or IT courses, or as an entry path to the Diploma itself.

On-shore and Off-shore Programs

Diploma programs are be offered both in Australia (on-shore) or off-shore through an off-shore
campus or a partnership. This means that an Australian Diploma is offered by another provider
overseas.

Alternatively, an overseas Diploma that is not accredited by any Australian authority can form a similar
pathway to undergraduate programs. For example, it can provide entry into the second or even third
year of an undergraduate program. These arrangements are particularly common in respect to
Diplomas offered by colleges and polytechnics in Singapore and Malaysia. Also, the word ‘Diploma’
may be used to refer to different course levels in different countries.

Interestingly, overseas Diplomas are more widely accepted by Australian universities than local
Diplomas. All Go8 Universities provide credit arrangements to some overseas Diplomas even if they do

29
not do this for Australian Diplomas.

Other Bridging Courses

Australian institutions offer a large number of bridging and short courses, which are not similar to
foundation or Diploma programs. It is difficult to categorise them because they are typically designed
to support entry into a particular program at a particular institution. Also, they may have limited
portability and recognition by other institutions.

Some general features of bridging courses are:

 they vary greatly in length from 5 weeks or more, but usually shorter in duration than foundation or
Diploma courses
 they are commonly non-award

 they can be non-essential. This means they offer the attainment of skills, which may be of use to a
prospective student in a further course but which they do not formally need to enter the principal
program
 they may allow a student to attain a single pre-requisite subject which is necessary for further
study
 they may provide an alternative means of improving English proficiency in an environment specific
to a single discipline
 they may provide entry to particular postgraduate courses.

30
A4. Australian Schools Overview
Overview

This lesson outlines Australia’s schooling system. Most students enter at a high school level, but some
of them may need to attend a primary school.

It’s useful to be aware of what your students can expect when studying in an Australian school
regarding:

 the subjects they can study that may be relevant to their studies after high school;

 the qualifications they receive and how they can enter university or further education;
 the costs that they will need to plan for.

Focus Questions

1. What are some differences between government and non-government schools?

2. How does a student’s learning experience at primary school differ from at high school?
3. What are some common types of accommodation available for international students?

4. Why might international students choose to study in an Australian school?

31
A4.1 Introduction to Australian Schools
Australian schools are either government or non-government (private), and they aim to focus on the
individual learning needs of their students.

Government and Non-government Schools

There are some important differences between these 2 types of schools:

Government Schools Non-government School

 they are operated by a State or Territory  they are not owned or operated by a State or
government. Territory government.

 Australian students normally do not pay  international students usually pay higher
substantial tuition fees to attend these tuition fees than domestic students.
schools.

 international students and the children of

international students are required to pay
fees.

 the marketing and enrolment of students is  they recruit students directly, so agents
controlled by the government education communicate with non-government schools
department in the particular state or territory. in all matters regarding recruitment and
enrolment.
 when agents recruit students for these
schools, they communicate with a
department representative and not the
individual school.

 they address a variety of social and cultural  they may have a particular religious or
philosophies. cultural philosophy, which is clearly reflected
in the student experience.

Individual Learning Needs

32
The school system aims to meet the learning needs of each individual student. This helps each child
reach their full intellectual and educational potential. Study programs are child-centred and focus on
the development of learning skills and strategies, which trains students to be life-long, self-motivated
learners.

Australian schools usually have a number of characteristics:

The teacher’s role The teacher aims to assist students in reaching their individual
learning goals.

Class activities Students commonly undertake projects, group work and self-directed
learning.

Dress codes Most schools enforce dress codes or have a uniform to promote a
sense of equality and to maintain a focus on education instead of
fashion.

Class sizes These are kept as small as possible so that teachers can regularly
interact with students on an individual basis.

School hours Schools operate from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Before-school
and after-school care is generally available to those students who
require it.

Teacher training Australian teachers are nearly all university trained, with secondary
school teachers having specialist qualifications in their subject area.

33
 Special programs & These are available for:
services  gifted students

 students with disabilities

to help them reach their fullest potential.

English support International students often have access to English language support
to help them adapt to their new school environment.

A4.2 Structure of Australian Schooling

It is compulsory for all Australian students to attend school until Year 10 or age 16.

Level Notes

Pre-School This level would only be relevant to agents who need to consider the young
children of international students in Australia.
Duration: 1 year
 It is not compulsory.
Age: 3-4 years old
 It is provided by public and non-government schools.

Preparatory Year This level would only be relevant to agents who need to consider the young
children of international students in Australia.
Duration: 1 year
 It is not compulsory in some states.
Age: 4-6 years old
 It is sometimes known by other names in different States and Territories
such as: Kindergarten, Transition, Reception, or Primary.
 Its curriculum is linked to the primary school curriculum.
 It focuses on the overall development of the students.

34
Primary School This level would be relevant to agents who need to consider the young
children of international students in Australia. Also, some unaccompanied
Duration: 6-7 primary age children study in Australia on student visas.
years
 This level is compulsory for all students.
Age: 5-12 years old
 There is no entrance examination for public primary schools.
 Co-educational and single-sex schools exist.

 Students learn with others of a similar age.

 Learning occurs by group and individual activities.
 There is one teacher in each class for all subjects except for some specialist
subjects (e.g. Art).
 There is no standardised exam at the end of primary school.

 Students do not receive a formal certificate after completing primary

school.

The early part of children’s education is very important since it is in these

formative years that attitudes and behaviour begins to take shape. Emphasis is
put not only on the educational side of primary schooling, but also on students
developing communication and co-operation skills, which will serve them well
in later life.

35
Secondary School To enter secondary school, international students must provide their
academic records and demonstrate appropriate English proficiency.
Duration: 5-6
years General Information
 The general tone of secondary education is much more independent and
Age: 12-18 years student guided than primary school. Students have many course options
old which reflect their interests and goals. Some schools emphasise certain
subjects more than others. Choice and diversity is increased by schools
which specialise in areas such as languages, music, sport, information
technology, agriculture or vocational education.
 Co-educational & single-sex schools are available.
 Students have different teachers for most subjects.

 Students move from room to room according to their timetable, and they
study in classrooms that are specially designed for subjects such as art,
music and science.

Junior High School – usually Years 7-10

 Students take a number of compulsory courses in English, Mathematics,

Science, and Social Science.

 After completing junior high school, a student may choose to continue into
senior high school programs, begin a vocational program, or enter the
workforce. However, most students choose to continue to Year 11.

 In some States, a student leaving Year 10 may be awarded a formal

certification of completion of that year.

Senior High School – usually Years 11-12

 Students in Years 11 and 12 have a wider range of choices in selecting
elective courses such as Computing, Art, and Drama.- Students study
subjects that they excel in or that relate to their future career or educational
goals.

 Students in Year 12 can study for a government-endorsed certificate that is

recognised for further study by all Australian universities and vocational
education and training institutions. This is generally known as a Senior
Secondary Certificate of Education, and it is recognised for entry into many
international universities.

36
A4.3 Secondary School Qualifications

Two qualifications are available from secondary schools:

1. A Certificate of Completion of Year 10

This is usually an informal certificate, but some states offer formal qualifications at this level.

Students with a certificate of completion for Year 10 may start to work or begin a vocational education
program. They will not generally be accepted into a university program, but may seek mature age
entry to some universities later.

Some schools also teach vocational subjects and issue credit towards Certificates I-IV, which are
normally obtained through the Vocational Education and Training (VET) System.

2. A Senior Certificate of Secondary Education

This is a formal certificate known by different names as follows:

State / Territory Senior Secondary Certficate of Education

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) ACT Year 12 Certificate

New South Wales (NSW) Higher School Certificate (HSC)

Northern Territory (NT) Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE)

Queensland (QLD) Senior Certificate

37
 South Australia (SA) South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)

Victoria (Vic) Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Tasmania (Tas) Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)

Western Australia (WA) WA Certificate of Education (WACE)

Students with a Senior Certificate of Secondary Education have more choices, and they may decide to:

 start work,
 begin a VET program,
 progress directly to university studies.

Some schools offer foundation programs to international students instead of a senior certificate. This
normally provides entry to specific universities.

Student Ranking

Students who seek admission to higher education and universities are provided with a tertiary
entrance score or rank. A student’s rank:

 is calculated in each State & Territory with its own name and system. For example, in Queensland it
is called the Overall Position (OP) Score.
 is based on the grades achieved through school assessment and the final exam marks.

 is used by the higher education authorities to determine if the student meets the admission
requirements for its courses.

38
A4.4 Entry Points, Typical Costs, and
Accommodation Options
Entry Points for International Students

Entry points might be different depending on the school (government/non-government and/or the
State it operates in), but commonly they are as follows:

Primary Schools

 Students may enter at Preparatory level or Year 1.

 A student can enter at any year if the application is accepted by the school, and they have
complete transcripts from their former school. In some instances they may be required to take a
placement test to ensure their success at their new school.

Secondary Schools

 Students may enter Years 6 or 8 or at Years 10 or 11. The entry to these years reflects the beginning
of the teaching/learning cycle, e.g. beginning of junior/senior high school)

 A student may enter at any year if the application is accepted by the school, and with appropriate
transcripts. New students need complete academic records and an appropriate English language
proficiency.

Cost of Schooling in Australia

School-level education in Australia is very cost effective, especially compared to other English-
speaking countries. Costs vary from State to State and depend on whether students attend public or
non-government schools. However, the following costs show what overseas students can expect:

Type of Cost Cost ($AUD)

Application fees Variable

These cover the costs of reviewing the student’s application, even though
the student may not be accepted by the school.

Tuition $6,000 – 15,000 per

This depends on the school selected. year

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) $420 per year

This covers normal childhood accidents and illnesses.

Accommodation $70 – 400 per week

This cost varies considerably.

Other incidentals Variable

For example, school uniforms, living expenses and learning materials.

39
Accommodation for Overseas Students

There are several accommodation options for international students such as:

Boarding school

 Many non-government secondary schools provide accommodation, meals and laundry services
for international students. Tuition fees are in addition to the boarding fees.

Homestay

 This is popular with younger students and those studying short-term English courses.

 Students can live with an Australian family, gain access to the Australian lifestyle and practise
English in a natural and friendly way.

 Meals are usually included in the cost and single or shared rooms may be offered.
 Self-catering homestay is sometimes available at a cheaper price. Education providers must
ensure that homestay families are reputable, and that they offer good accommodation.

Farmstay

 This offers the same or similar services as a homestay, but in a rural setting. It can be suitable for
short stays.

Share or Rental Accommodation

 Students over 18 may share or rent an apartment or house.

40
Approximate costs for each type of accommodation are shown here (data from Study in Australia
website):

Type Approximate Cost

Boarding School A$10,000 – 20,000 per year

Homestay / Farmstay A$110 – 270 per week

Share Accommodation A$70 – 250 per week

Rental Accommodation A$100 – 400 per week

41
A4.5 Advantages to International Students

Australia offers international students a high quality education in a safe and welcoming environment.
International students have been enrolled in Australian schools since the 1950s. According to an AEI
research snapshot, from January-June 2022 there were 531,991 international student enrolments, with
54% for Higher Education, 38% for VET, 5% for ELICOS and 2% for schools. You can find international
student data here which is updated monthly.

Australian school education offers the opportunity for students to develop life skills in a positive and
outgoing environment. Importance is given to personal development as well as academic studies.

Schools in Australia take great care in looking after their international students, helping them to adjust
to the Australian way of life. The multicultural nature of Australian society means international students
are readily accepted by other students. Teachers are experienced in teaching classes to students from
many different countries and cultures.

Some schools and colleges cater exclusively for international students, whereas others have long
traditions of student exchange with other international schools. In many cases students are able to
maintain and develop their own language skills as well as become proficient in the English language.

There are three primary reasons that international students are attracted to studying in Australia:

 Quality

 English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

 Information and Communication Technology in Schools

42
Quality

State and Territory Governments have agreed on a National Curriculum Framework for all Australian
schools, that outlines national standards in key learning areas. This framework ensures that all
students in Australian schools achieve the best possible outcomes.

The National Curriculum Framework is based on ten common and agreed national goals for schooling.
The goals identify the skills, understanding, knowledge, attitudes and values which should be
developed in young Australians. They focus on eight learning areas:

 English

 Mathematics
 Science
 Technology

 Studies of Society and the Environment

 Health and Physical Education
 Languages other than English and

 Arts.

Comparisons with other countries

The latest PISA insights and interpretations showed that Australian students were above OECD
averages in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. The full detailed report of its findings can be
found here.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

ESL programs in both primary and high schools are available for students whose first language is not
English. The types of ESL students range from those newly arrived in Australia and beginning to learn
English to Australian-born students from a non-English speaking background.

In general, ESL support can:

 prepare students for entry into school studies in intensive English courses,

 provide ongoing language-support programs for students after they begin their formal studies

Parents of international students have access to translation and interpreter services in the public
school system.

Information and Communication Technology in Schools

43
Australian schools aim to produce graduates who are able to use information and communication
technology (ICT) effectively in all aspects of their lives. This means that all students leave school as
confident, creative and productive users of new technologies and understand the impact of those
technologies on society.

Australian schools are becoming world leaders in the application of technology to education and they
are well-equipped with the following:

 Computers
 Digital data and communication links

 Film and television

 Satellite signals to remote locations
 Internet access points and

 Online courses and materials.

44
A5. English Language Intensive Courses for
Overseas Students (ELICOS)

The ELICOS sector is a very important one in the Australian education system. This is because it:

 provides international students with a wide variety of options to learn English;

 enables students to enter other education sectors at all levels.

Because there are such a large number of courses available, you need to be confident in selecting
the right one for your students. This is especially true if they want to continue studying in Australia
after completing their ELICOS course.

Focus Questions

1. Which types of ELICOS centres exist in Australia?

2. Which types of ELICOS courses would be suitable for a student who wants to continue studying in
another sector?

3. How are other short courses different from ELICOS courses?

4. Which English language proficiency tests are accepted in Australia?

5. What are the usual language requirements to enter a VET course?

6. How is the quality of ELICOS courses maintained?

45
A5.1 Introduction to ELICOS

The English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector is an important one
within the Australian Education system.

English language training commonly takes place in dedicated colleges or centres. These centres are
completely focused on the needs of international students, so they have highly developed support
services for such students.

English language training is often the first type of course an international student may undertake in
Australia so ELICOS colleges have well-developed reception, orientation and accommodation
placement processes to reflect this fact.

ELICOS students typically come on a student visa, a tourist visa or a working holiday visa. People on a
tourist visa are only permitted to study for a maximum of three months and those on working holiday
visas for a maximum of four months. Individuals wishing to study in Australia for longer than this
should apply for a student visa.

Those ELICOS students who hold a student visa are covered by the ESOS Act (see B3). However
students on tourist visas, working holiday or other visas are not covered by the ESOS Act.

ELICOS courses can be taken by students as stand-alone courses. In this case a student may wish to
improve their English proficiency and then return to their home country. According to previous trends,
around 40% of students use the language course as the first in a pathway of courses leading to formal
qualifications in the other sectors.

Types of ELICOS centres

There are about 300 accredited ELICOS centres across Australia, and many different types, including:

 those located in all of Australia’s major cities as well as in a range of regional locations
 those which are private or government operated

46
 those which are independent or attached to a high school, TAFE college or university
 small boutique colleges or large international providers.

A5.2 Types of Courses

ELICOS providers and courses need to follow a careful quality assurance process. This specifies the
minimum qualifications of teachers, class sizes, types of facilities, and the number of study hours per
week.

ELICOS courses are accredited by either TEQSA or ASQA as non-award courses outside of the AQF.
However, a small number of courses are accredited as VET courses on the AQF. The nature of the
accreditation body should not influence the quality of the educational experience for the student.

Australia offers a wide range of ELICOS courses designed to meet the varying needs of students with
different reasons for learning English. Full-time ELICOS courses tend to have these features:

 Their duration generally ranges from 4 to 48 weeks,

 They are taught at all levels of proficiency from beginners to advanced.

 They comprise of at least 20 hours of study each week.

 They usually have flexible commencement dates, so students can enrol at any time during the
year.

Often ELICOS courses are taken in sequence with formal courses of study in other sectors. They are
packaged together with one or more courses. Sometimes these further courses are offered at the
same institution.

There are five major categories of English language courses generally offered in Australia to
international students:

1. General English

2. English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

3. Secondary School Preparation
4. Examination Preparation

5. English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

In addition, some ELICOS centres have developed and deliver specific courses to suit the needs of
particular clients; for example courses that may concentrate on executive English, corporate ELICOS
training or Study Tour Programs (these programs usually combine English language study with other
activities e.g. travelling or sporting activities).

1. General English

These courses help to improve English skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students can
enter at any level, from elementary to advanced, and they progress at their own pace.

Students are generally tested and placed in an appropriate class level at the start of their studies.
Classes at each level focus on everyday English, and often include a variety of activities.

47
General English is suitable for individuals or for holiday groups and as preparation for the English for
Academic Purposes courses.

2. English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

EAP courses are designed to help students succeed in university studies by improving their English and
academic study skills. They help students achieve the level of English language proficiency needed to
undertake tertiary studies at Australian and International universities (usually around IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 or
TOEFL Paper 530 to 570 or other equivalent language tests). A large percentage of students who
complete the courses enrol in Australian universities.

EAP programs are generally offered as full-time courses of approximately 10 weeks for each module.
EAP courses generally start and finish at dates which match with the university’s academic semesters.
This allows students to move easily into formal degree courses.

3. Secondary School Preparation

These programs are generally designed to:

 develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills

 inform students about the education system in Australia
 familiarise students with teaching methodologies they will encounter in their secondary studies
and
 introduce specific subject areas and assist with subject selection.

4. Examination Preparation

While not offering formal qualifications, many English courses focus on preparing students for external
English proficiency examinations such as:

 Cambridge exams (PET, FCE, CAE, CPE, & BEC), which are the most popular,

 the IELTS exam,

 the TOEFL exam,

 the TOEIC test.

These courses are generally provided for students aged 17 and above and involve intensive test
practice. They cater to people who wish to:

 enter educational institutions

 work in English-speaking countries and

 obtain a qualification that is valued by employers in their home country.

5. English for Specific Purposes

These courses are generally specialised to meet a specific student need for technical English
proficiency. They are often designed specifically for a small student group with similar needs. Courses
that are less than 13 weeks in length are often taken while on a tourist visa.

This category also includes “Business English” courses that are designed for adults seeking job specific
English language training. Generally the courses are intensive and focus on improving students' use of
English in the workplace. Most programs expect students to arrive with strong general English skills,
and
48
generally start at intermediate and move through advanced levels.

6. Short Courses for non-student visa holders

Students may obtain a tourist visa to study English for less than 3 months , or if on a working holiday
visa, study a maximum of 4 months. These students may undertake the same programs and classes
as student visa holders. Note that students studying for less than four months can still apply for a
student visa if they wish to.

If the students come as a group, then they can have a specific program tailored for them. This is
usually known as a ‘study tour’.

Study tours usually have these features:

 They are designed for students studying in their own country either in High School or in Higher
Education and take place during holiday periods.

 They combine tourist or specialised activities with English study.

 They are often structured around a particular group of students coming from one source overseas
(a school, university or workplace).

Study Tours are not covered by the ESOS Act nor the National Code. This means that they do not need
to meet any specified requirements in terms of hours of study, teacher qualifications or facilities.

English Colleges that are members of English Australia must conform to best practice guidelines when
offering study tours. English Australia can also protect non-student visa holders in the event that if a
college closes, affected students are placed in another program.

Agents need to ensure that students who select a study tour are clear about the expectations of the
program of study.

49
Study tours can provide all types of Business and English language packages. Often these tours can be
coupled with business conventions and conferences. However, affordable tours can cater to all groups,
from school students and tourists to special interest technical groups wishing to further their studies in
their specific area of interest.

Many different types of special interest tours and holiday group travel tours are available. Some
examples include:

 Agriculture
 Mining and smelting

 Eco-tourism and Environmental Projects

 Back-packing group tours with adventures & English lessons
 Aged care, Nursing and Dietician studies

 Living English with practical experiences

 High School & Junior High School holiday tours
 Specialised technical and information tours

 Trade missions, Government and VIP tours

 Overseas incentive tours and conventions

 University, Holiday & Graduation tours and conventions

No formal qualifications are awarded at the completion of these kinds of courses.

50
A5.3 English Language Tests
The IELTS, TOEFL, CAE Cambridge and PTE Academic tests are the major testing systems used
worldwide for entry into academic programs, including Australia. They are all accepted by the
Department of Home Affairs in regard to student visa applicants who need to demonstrate
appropriate English proficiency.

1. IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS is the most commonly used English Proficiency test in Australia and is accepted by all our
academic institutions. Also, US academic institutions are increasingly accepting IELTS for admissions
purposes.

The IELTS test consists of 4 modules that test the complete range of English language skills which
students commonly encounter when studying or training in the medium of English. The IELTS test is
available in two formats: Academic Training and General Training. All candidates take the same
Listening and Speaking Modules. However, the two formats have different Reading and Writing
Modules.

The Academic test is suitable for candidates planning to undertake higher education study. The
General Training test is suitable for candidates planning to undertake non-academic training or work
experience, or for immigration purposes.

The IELTS test is also available on computer with results normally released within 5-7 days.

2. The TOEFL test – (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

TOEFL tests the ability of candidates to use and understand English at a university level. Computer
based testing is offered throughout most regions of the world. In addition, Internet-based tests (TOEFL®
iBT) are also available in many countries. In areas where computer access is limited, a paper-and-
pencil version of the test is administered.

51
3. CAE Cambridge test – (Certificate in Advanced English)

CAE is a thorough and demanding test of all areas of language ability of the candidate. It is available
in a paper-based and a computer-based format. The CAE exam consists of five modules: reading,
writing, use of English, listening and speaking (speaking is a face-to-face exam with two candidates
and two assessors).

4. The PTE Academic test – (Pearson Test of English – Academic)

PTE Academic is a computer-based exam, measuring the individual’s English ability through tasks
which reflect real-life settings. The test runs for 3 hours, during which candidates are given 20 different
types of task. Some of these test integrated skills (e.g. reading AND speaking). Test results are delivered
to test takers online (notification by email) within 5 working days.

Test Equivalences

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection use the following equivalence table in their
judgements:

Test Test
Scor
e
Ban
d

IELT 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0

TOEFL iBT 31 32 35 46 60 79 94 102 110 115 118

PTE Academic 29 30 36 42 50 58 65 73 79 83 86

Cambridge English: 32 36 41 47 52 58 67 74 80 87 93
Advanced (CAE)

TOEFL PBT 433 450 500 527 550

5. iTEP

iTEP is an American-based online proficiency test, accepted by more than 500 Colleges and
Universities in the US. It is used for placement testing and admissions and is competitively priced in
comparison to the other tests. It is not well-recognised in Australia at this stage.

6. Password Test

The password test, is another online proficiency test, based in the UK. Again, it only enjoys limited
recognition in Australia.

52
A5.4 Entry Points and Costs
Students may enter an ELICOS college with any level of English proficiency. However, the Department of
Home Affairs (which is responsible for Immigration and Citizenship) assigns certain requirements to
student visas for students from certain countries. This means that some students may only be able to
study an English course for a limited length of time, depending on their nationality and sector in which
they seek to study.

Australian education institutions can only accept students with an appropriate level of English
proficiency and institutions are free to set their own English language requirements. There may be
different language proficiency levels, different measures (eg. IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, PTE Academic) or other
ways used to satisfy the language requirement of different institutions for their courses. This may be
other than and/or in addition to the levels required for a student visa by DIBP.

You should check the English level entry requirements with education providers.

Cost of English language courses

The average tuition costs are $305 per week, but course prices vary depending on:

 the centre

 the centre's location and

 the length of the course.

Study tour prices are specific to the study program and subject to negotiation.

A5.5 Quality Assurance of ELICOS

Australia ensures that international students receive the highest quality of English language
instruction. Australia is the only country in the world to have mandatory national standards specific to
English language training and international students. The quality of courses and institutions providing
English training are supported by two recognised industry associations:

 National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS).

 English Australia (EA).

English Australia (EA)

EA is the national professional association of ELICOS colleges, and currently it has over 120 member
centres.

EA also plays an important role in maintaining quality in the ELICOS sector. Its member colleges are
required to:

 abide by by-laws which provide a Code of Conduct

 participate in a Tuition Assurance Scheme

 participate in Membership Quality Assurance and
 abide by the minimum requirements of the EA refund and transfer policies.

53
EA membership provides additional assurances of high quality and fair dealing in both public and
private English language colleges.

National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS)

NEAS endorses English language centres in universities, colleges and high schools. Endorsed centres
are granted the NEAS quality mark, internationally recognised and valued by students, teachers,
agents and governments.

A6. Vocational Education & Training

Overview

Vocational means “work” or “career”, so Vocational Education and Training (VET) is focused on
education and training for work roles.

In general, VET study:

 offers a variety of certificates and diplomas

 develops professional and personal skills that are closely linked with industry
 develops career paths through a mix of study and practical work

 generally combines classroom study as well as hands-on training

 is competency based whereby students must demonstrate skills to gain a qualification.

Focus Questions

1. What types of education providers offer VET courses?

54
2. What kinds of qualifications does the VET sector offer?

3. What are the entry requirements for different VET courses?

4. What kind of quality assurance exists for VET providers?
5. What are some learning pathways that are relevant to the needs of international students?

6. What are the benefits of obtaining a VET qualification?

A6.1 Structure of the Australian VET Sector

Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector offers a large variety of qualifications for
students with a strong practical orientation. According to the Department of Education , in 2022 there
were 199,909 international student enrolments in VET courses in Australia (find latest figures here).

The Students

VET students are typically:

 schools leavers seeking to acquire practical skills for work

 school leavers seeking an alternative pathway to university

 workers who are seeking to further develop their career skills
 university graduates who need to acquire practical skills for the work or

 those simply wishing to develop their personal interests.

The Institutions

The Australian VET system is publicly and privately funded and is delivered by a wide variety of training
institutions and enterprises.

A comprehensive database of institutions offering VET qualifications can be found at the

training.gov.au website.

TAFE – Technical and Further Education

There are currently 59 TAFE institutes that deliver VET training across Australia. They are government
funded, they provide post-school education and training, and they usually have a more practical
focus than university courses.

TAFE colleges act independently of one another and have their own premises, courses, and academic
and administrative staff.

TAFEs can be very large institutions and have more students enrolled than many Universities. For
example, most city-based TAFEs have over 50,000 enrolments. The facilities available to students are
similar to those in a University. Also, they operate across a number of campuses as well as in industry
and community venues.

TAFE institutes contain some of the largest ELICOS centres in Australia. They are also sometimes part of
a University. For example, every university in Victoria except one has a TAFE division.

55
TAFE courses are often used by international students as a pathway to undergraduate programs at
university, especially via the Diploma route. Some TAFEs offer university degrees through affiliated
universities, and some offer their own degrees.

Private Colleges

There are approximately 5000 other registered providers of VET courses. These range from small
institutions that offer specialised courses in one particular area of study to large private colleges which
are similar to larger TAFE institutes.

A wide variety of VET courses are offered through private colleges. The most popular courses for
international students are those related to Business and Information Technology.

Like TAFE, private colleges are popular with international students as pathway institutions, since they
can provide entry to university studies after completing a VET qualification. Also, some private
institutions offer university programs through affiliated universities, and others offer their own degrees.

VET in Schools

Over 95 per cent of Australia’s secondary schools that offer senior secondary programs also offer VET
programs to their senior students. This means students can study their senior secondary certificate
and they can also be trainees and employees by participating in a work-based pathway, gaining
practical work skills and VET qualifications as part of their school education. You can read the guiding
principles for VET in schools delivered to overseas students here.

The Courses

VET providers offer a very large range of courses from Certificate I through to Bachelor Degrees,
Graduate Certificates and sometimes Graduate Diplomas (see more here).

The following list details some of the more popular and common programs offered in Australia:

Business and Management

 This covers a wide range of fields. VET offers programs including information technology, frontline
management, hospitality and marketing courses.

Community services and health care

 These courses are designed to prepare students to work within organisations providing a range of
community based services.
 Courses are offered at a Certificate I entry level through to Diploma level.

 These are often designed for workers who are predominantly involved in interpersonal contact with
clients in a variety of community work services.

Communications and information technology

 These courses provide students with the detailed knowledge and skills needed for a future career in
information technologies.

Design and the arts

56
 These courses offer theoretical and practical studies in a student’s chosen area as well as training
in presenting work and business management.

Engineering & building

 Students can receive certificate to diploma qualifications in a wide variety of building and
engineering fields such as air-conditioning and refrigeration, carpentry, design and civil
engineering.

Hospitality and tourism

 These programs can lead students into supervisory positions in the food service, hospitality and
tourism industries.

Land management, agriculture, fisheries and forestry

 Training in these programs can lead students to careers in catchment and land management,
water and wastewater management, farm management, conservation, land care, pest, animal
and plant management, revegetation and land rehabilitation, protected area management, and
wildlife management.

Sports & recreation

 These programs enable students to gain employment in a variety of fields within the sports and
recreation industries.
 Students are provided with a fundamental knowledge of exercise programming, leadership and
motivation, sports marketing, resistance training, nutrition, rehabilitation, personal training, and
psychology.

57
A6.2 Australian VET Qualifications
The VET sector offers eight qualifications:

Qualification Duration

Certificate I 3 – 6 months

Certificate II & III 6 – 12 months

Certificate IV 1 year

Diploma 1 – 2 years

Advanced Diploma 2 – 2.5 years

Vocational Graduate Certificate 6 months

Vocational Graduate Diploma 1 – 1.5 years

Certificates

The general aims of Certificate level courses are to:

 prepare candidates for both employment and further education and training and
 recognise skills and knowledge that meet national industry standards.

Certificates I and II are qualifications which recognise the students’ basic vocational skills and
knowledge.

Certificates III and IV are the equivalent of trade certificates in various vocations. These prepare
students for both employment and further education and training in their chosen field.

Diplomas

Diploma courses aim to:

 prepare students to use their skills and knowledge based on fundamental principles and complex
techniques and
 recognise the ability to show initiative and judgment across a broad range of technical and
management functions.

The Advanced Diploma is a more specialised qualification that shows skill and knowledge of a greater
complexity and a higher level of personal accountability.

Note that some TAFE institutes and private providers also offer programs above Diploma level.

58
A6.3 Entry Requirements and Costs
Australian VET qualifications have been popular amongst international students for many years. Entry
requirements vary greatly from institution to institution and from course to course.

In general, to begin a certificate level course, students need:

 a qualification equivalent to Grade 10-12 in an Australian high school

 an English language proficiency of IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL paper based 530-550 or equivalent in other
accepted language tests.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Entry requirements above certificate level may take into account previous training and experience
within an industry. This process is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

RPL allows a person to receive recognition and credit for the knowledge and skills they have, no matter
how and where they were attained, including overseas. This can include skills from:

 previous study – including courses at school or college, through adult education classes or training
programs at work
 work experience – including both work that is paid and unpaid
 life experience – for example leisure pursuits or voluntary work.

To obtain RPL, it is important that a student’s knowledge and skills help to meet the learning outcomes
and assessment criteria of the qualification that the student is seeking credit for. RPL assessment can
result in a full qualification or a Statement of Attainment for partial completion.

You can approach the educational institution that a student wishes to study at and ask for further
details about RPL assessment. Also, assessment-only Registered Training Organisations will assess a

59
student’s skills and experience on a fee-for-service basis.

Cost of VET for Overseas Students

Course fees vary greatly depending on the course and/or the institution. As a general guide,
international students are charged tuition fees of $5,500 to $18,000 (AUD) per year. The average tuition
fee is approximately $10,000 per year.

A6.4 Quality Assurance in the VET System

Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)

The vocational education and training (VET) Quality Framework is aimed at achieving national
consistency in the way providers are registered and monitored and in how standards in the vocational
education and training (VET) sector are enforced.

ASQA is the body which sets these standards and provides organisations with the approval to offer VET
courses. There are two elements to the VET Quality Framework:

 Standards that govern the operations of the organisations (Registered Training Organisations)

 Standards that govern the nature of the VET courses (Training Packages and Accredited Courses)

There are 8 VET qualifications which are part of the The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF):

 Certificates I, II, III and IV

 Diploma and Advanced Diploma
 Vocational Graduate Certificate and Vocational Graduate Diploma.

1. Registered Training Organisations

The NVR Standards for Registered Training Organisations requires them to:

 Have documented systems for quality training and assessment

 Have documented agreements with other organisations when they provide training or assessment
in partnership
 Have written procedures for recruitment, induction and professional development of staff

 Use trainers and assessors (teachers) with specified skills

 Follow specific requirements for assessment strategies and
 Demonstrate that their owners/CEO are suitable individuals to operate an education organisation.

2. Training Packages and Accredited Courses

Training packages are developed to meet the training needs of an industry, or a group of industries.
They specify the skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the workplace.

Each training package is made up of three components:

 Units of competency: which define the skills and knowledge to operate effectively and how they
need to be applied to perform effectively in a workplace context.

60
 Qualifications framework: groups of units of competency ranging from Certificate I to Vocational
Graduate Diploma level.
 Assessment guidelines: the industry’s preferred approach to assessment, including the
qualifications required by assessors, the design of assessment processes and how assessments
should be conducted.

Where there are no training packages for a particular workplace available, a VET course may be
accredited by an organisation. There are specific standards and requirements for all accredited
courses and each VET accredited course is allocated a national code and is listed on the national
register,training.gov.au.

A6.5 Pathways to Higher Education

A major strength of the VET system is that it provides an alternative pathway to higher education or
more specialised vocational training.

AQF qualifications link with each other in a range of learning pathways between schools, VET providers
and universities. This encourages cross-sectoral linkage programs such as:

 VET in Schools. This allows schools to offer industry based units of learning that can contribute to
both the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education and Certificate I – IV qualifications

 Articulation and Credit Transfer Arrangements between registered VET providers and universities.
This involves the efficient articulation of programs and maximum credit transfer

 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This is when credits are granted towards qualifications
through assessment of an individual’s knowledge and skills gained through education, training,
work and life experience.

The AQF pathways diagram is shown here:

(Source: Researchgate.net)

61
In addition, the pathway from university to vocational education and training qualifications is
becoming increasingly popular. This enables students to gain industry experience needed to increase
their employment opportunities.

A6.6 Advantages of VET

Vocational Education and Training provides a number of significant advantages to students:

 It gives students access to many job opportunities after as little as ten months of training.

 It offers students more job opportunities and higher earnings based on their improved
qualifications.

 Students can develop both practical and professional skills that are taught by industry experienced
instructors.

 About 70 to 80% of employers are very satisfied with VET training since it provides students with
appropriate skills, which leads to increased productivity.

 The vocational and practical nature of VET curricula places less pressure on students with lower
levels of English proficiency. This gives these students more time to develop their language skills
before undertaking academic level studies if they wish to continue.

62
A7. University Education in Australia

Overview

The higher education sector consists mainly of universities but also government and private
institutions. This sector contributes to Australian society and Australia’s international reputation in so
many ways.

As an education agent, you need to be able to describe the important and unique characteristics of
this sector to your students, and help them plan learning pathways for them that are realistic and the
most appropriate.

Focus Questions

1. What kinds of qualifications does the higher education sector provide?

2. What is the organisational structure of a university?

3. What proportion of universities and their campuses are located in capital cities?
4. How is the quality of higher education providers maintained?
5. How can you determine which universities are the best?

6. What is “internationalisation” and why is this vital to Australia’s education industry?

63
A7.1 Introduction
There are 41 Australian universities, of which 3 are private (Bond, Torrens and Notre Dame). In addition,
Carnegie Mellon and University College London have campuses in Adelaide, South Australia. As the
main campuses and administrations of these university are established in Pennsylvania, USA and
London, UK respectively; we consider them as non-Australian universities.

Many Australian universities have overseas branch campuses, twinning arrangements and exchange
programs for students and teaching staff worldwide. Australian universities have around 7,000
agreements with universities (and similar institutions around the world).

Australian Universities have three primary roles:

 Storing knowledge
 Transferring knowledge to others and
 Creating knowledge.

In addition to this, Australian Universities provide consultancy services to business and industry and
are a source of advice for Government and the community in general on a large number of issues and
topics. They are closely involved with their local and wider communities.

Diversity and autonomy are central features of Australian universities. Each institution has the freedom
to specify its own mission and purpose, modes of teaching and research, the make up of their student
body and the range and content of their educational programs. This variety is reflected in the range of
goals and objectives, staff profiles and the emphasis placed on particular courses at different
universities.

As an agent, you need to be aware of the particular goals of the universities that you promote.

64
Higher education in Australia enjoys a strong international reputation. Australian universities are part
of a clearly recognised international community of scholarship, with academic staff recruited
internationally and students increasingly coming from overseas as well as from across Australia. At the
same time, there are increasing numbers of Australian students and staff on study and work
exchanges overseas.

65
A7.2 University Locations
Australian Universities are located in all major State and Territory capital cities as well as in many
regional centres.

The locations of their main campuses are given in the table below:

State / Territory University Name Location of Main Campus

Australian Capital Territory The Australian National Canberra

University

Australian Capital Territory University of Canberra Canberra

New South Wales Australian Catholic University Sydney

66
New South Wales Charles Sturt University Albury-Wodonga

New South Wales Macquarie University Sydney

New South Wales Southern Cross University Lismore

New South Wales The University of Newcastle Newcastle

New South Wales The University of New England Armidale

New South Wales The University of New South Sydney

Wales

New South Wales The University of Sydney Sydney

New South Wales University of Technology Sydney

Sydney

New South Wales University of Western Sydney Sydney

New South Wales University of Wollongong Wollongong

Northern Territory Charles Darwin University Darwin

Queensland Bond University Gold Coast

Queensland Central Queensland University Rockhampton

Queensland Griffith University Brisbane

Queensland James Cook University Townsville, Cairns

Queensland Queensland University of Brisbane

Technology

Queensland The University of Queensland Brisbane

Queensland University of Southern Towoomba

Queensland

Queensland University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore

South Australia The University of Adelaide Adelaide

South Australia Flinders University Adelaide

South Australia University of South Australia Adelaide

South Australia Torrens University Australia Adelaide

Tasmania University of Tasmania Hobart

Victoria Deakin University Geelong

67
 Victoria The University of Divinity Melbourne

Victoria Federation University Melbourne

Victoria La Trobe University Melbourne

Victoria Monash University Melbourne

Victoria Royal Melbourne Institute of Melbourne

Technology

Victoria Swinburne University of Melbourne

Technology

Victoria The University of Melbourne Melbourne

Victoria Victoria University Melbourne

Western Australia Curtin University of Technology Perth

Western Australia Edith Cowan University Perth

Western Australia Murdoch University Perth

Western Australia The University of Western Perth

Australia

Western Australia The University of Notre Dame Fremantle

A7.3 Structure of Australian Universities

All of Australia’s universities are established or recognised under government legislation. The Federal
Government has responsibility for funding the public universities.

The formal governing body of each Australian university is the Council, Senate or Board of Governors.
This is presided over by a Chancellor who is elected by the members of the governing body. Members
are drawn from government, industry, the community, academic staff, graduates and students.

The chief executive authority rests with the Vice-Chancellor who is sometimes also called the
President. This person is accountable to the Council, Senate or Board of Governors and is responsible
for the academic and administrative operations of the institution.

Teaching and research disciplines are typically organised in several faculties and schools with
dedicated Research Centres linking into the faculties. There are also a number of administrative
divisions.

68
To see an example of a typical university structure, look at these web pages from the University of
Queensland:

 Organisational structure
 Organisational unit types

A7.4 Courses and Qualifications

There are some important points about courses that you need to be aware of:

 Courses can vary considerably in form, entry requirements, duration and method of assessment.
 The academic year is generally from early March to late November, or mid-July to late June of the
following year.
 The year is normally divided into two semesters, although some universities offer three semesters
in one calendar year for certain courses.
 Students studying towards a Doctoral Degree or other postgraduate research awards may be able
to negotiate an alternative starting date with their research supervisor.

The following qualifications are available at Australian universities and approved higher education
providers. This information is general, so it's important to understand that a particular university course
may not have exactly the same length or purpose.

All of these qualifications are listed on the AQF.

69
Course
Diploma
Duration = 1 – 2 years
Bachelor Degree
Duration = minimum of 3 years
Bachelor Degree (Honours)
Duration = 4 years
Graduate Certificate
Duration = 6 months
Graduate Diploma
Duration = 12 months
Notes
 This is offered by some universities and university colleges.
 It is the same level as a Diploma that is offered by a VET
institution.
 This is the basic university qualification and is required for
entry to a profession.
 Study involves acquiring a systematic and coherent body of
knowledge, its underlying principles and concepts and
associated problem-solving techniques.
 Students develop the academic skills and aptitudes to
comprehend and evaluate new information, concepts and
evidence from a wide range of sources. Also, students learn to
review, consolidate, extend and apply the knowledge and
techniques that they have learned.
 Study usually involves major studies in an area where
significant academic literature is available.
 Course content is to a significant depth and progressively
developed to a high level. This also prepares students for
further postgraduate study if desired.
 A Bachelor Degree with Honours takes an additional year after
a Bachelor Degree with a focus on research.
 Honours may also be granted where outstanding
achievement is recorded in a Bachelor Degree course of four
or more years.
 The Graduate Certificate typically involves broadening
individual skills already gained in an undergraduate program,
or developing vocational knowledge and skills in a new
professional area.
 The Graduate Diploma either broadens individual skills
obtained in an undergraduate program or develops
vocational knowledge and skills in a new professional area.
 This qualification involves further specialisation within a
systematic and coherent body of knowledge.
70
 Masters Degree (Coursework)  The Masters Degree enhances specific professional or
Duration = 1 – 2 years vocational skills.

 It is typically gained by coursework and some research.

 Study involves acquiring an in-depth understanding of a
specific area of knowledge usually by independent research.
 A Masters Degree takes one to two years, after completion of
a Bachelors Degree.

Masters Degree (Research) –  The Master of Philosophy program aims to provide research
MPhil training that develops independent research skills including:
Duration = 1 – 2 years  ability to formulate a significant problem;

 mastery of appropriate conceptual and methodological

frameworks;

 capacity for articulate and critical analysis.

 Admission requires a Bachelor degree with Honours but
students may be admitted after completing a Graduate
Diploma and having significant work experience.

 It is possible to transfer to a PhD program after 1 year full-time

if the work in the MPhil course is considered to be a suitable
standard.

Doctoral Degree  The Doctoral Degree is the highest award offered by

(Doctor of Philosophy – PhD) Australian universities. Although traditional PhDs are research
Duration = usually 3 years degrees, some programs may have a coursework
component.

 There are three components to a Doctoral Degree:

 a review of relevant literature, experimentation, or other
systemic approaches to a body of knowledge.
 an original research project resulting in a significant
contribution to knowledge and understanding and/or the
application of knowledge within a discipline or field of
study.
 a substantial and well-ordered thesis, demonstrating the
relationship of the research to the broader framework of
the discipline or field of study.

Non-University Higher Education

TAFE Institutes, specialised institutes and other private colleges also provide post-school qualifications.
While they mostly offer courses to a Diploma level, some courses are offered through to Bachelor
degree level.

Some of these institutions offer degrees in specialised areas that no universities cover. For example,
the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) offers 71 degrees in military subjects or the Endeavour
College
of Natural Health offers degrees in alternative medicine.

A7.5 International Student Numbers

Australia has for many years welcomed overseas students into Australian universities. Many leaders of
business, government, the military and even the nobility from many countries, especially in the Asian
region, have studied and obtained their qualifications in Australian universities. Australia is now a world
leader in the provision of education to overseas students, who study at all levels within Australian
universities and in all disciplines.

The Australian Department of Education provides excellent up-to-date information on international

education enrolment. Their research snapshots are very informative, easy to read and updated
regularly. Find the latest information here.

72
73
A7.6 Entry Points, Entry Requirements and
Costs
Students need to meet both a sufficient level of English language proficiency and the minimum
academic requirements before they can be admitted to an Australian university.

English language proficiency

Australian education institutions can only accept students with an appropriate level of English
proficiency. Institutions set their own English language requirements. The language proficiency entry
levels (e.g. IELTS, CAE or other) may be different from those required for a student visa.

If a student’s English language proficiency score is not high enough, there are many English language
courses with starting dates throughout the year to prepare them for further study in Australia. All
Australian universities either have their own English language centre or have links with English
language colleges.

Academic Requirements

Institutions are free to determine the academic requirements for entry to their courses. These
requirements depend on:

 The level and content of the education a student has completed in Australia or their home country
 The level and academic standards of the institution at which they completed their study.

In general, however, the following criteria apply for undergraduate and postgraduate courses:

Undergraduate courses

Undergraduate degrees require an Australian Senior School Certificate of Education (Year 12) or the
overseas equivalent of this. Some degrees may also have certain pre-requisite subjects and grades.

For international students who have attended an Australian High School, entry to higher education
institutions is normally based on completion of Year 12 and determined by the student’s tertiary
entrance score or rank.

A tertiary admissions centre then assesses a student’s tertiary entrance rank in the same way as for
domestic students:

State/Territory Tertiary Admission Centre

Northern Territory Charles Darwin University

NSW & ACT Universities Admissions Centre (UAC)

Queensland Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC)

South Australia South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC)

74
 Tasmania University of Tasmania

Victoria Victoria Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)

Western Australia Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC)

Most universities have specialised pathway programs, such as Foundation courses or Diploma
programs that enable international students who do not meet academic requirements to gain entry.

Postgraduate courses

Entry to postgraduate courses requires completion to a satisfactory standard of a Bachelor degree.

Prospective students may also need to demonstrate research ability or relevant work experience.

Costs of Australian Education for Overseas Students

University courses in Australia are comparable to those in other English speaking countries. For
example, the cost of a Bachelor of Arts may be:

Location Yearly Cost

Australia $A20,000

USA (public university) $A20,000

USA (private university) $A40,000

UK $A18,000

In the Australian education system, some degrees are slightly shorter than in other countries. For
example, some Bachelor degrees take three years in Australia but four years in the USA.

75
A7.7 Quality Assurance of Australian
Universities
Some of the measures that operate to safeguard and improve quality of Australia’s Universities
include:

 The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)

 Universities Australia (Universities Australia)

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency

TEQSA is an independent body with powers to regulate university and non-university higher education
providers, monitor quality and set standards. TEQSA registers providers, carries out evaluations of
standards and performance, protects and assures the quality of international education and
streamlines current regulatory arrangements.

Universities Australia

Universities Australia is the peak body representing Australian Universities and operates a National
Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students (2018).

The code provides ethical practice guidelines for universities about promotion and marketing and
agents and partners. It also provides information about:

 the admission of students,

 arrival and orientation,

 student support,
 fee-charging and refunds,
 university infrastructure,

 returning home support.

The Code of Practice provides overseas students with clear assurances in respect of:

 maintaining academic standards,

 being accurate and honest in the provision of information to prospective students,

 the welfare of international students,
 being sensitive to the culture, customs and linguistic needs and characteristics of international
students,
 delivering to students the commitments made to them by education agents or others representing
the University,
 the refund policy for overseas students.

76
A7.8 Which are the “Best” Australian
Universities?
International Students often want to know which the ‘best’ universities in Australia are. In many
countries, universities are officially ranked on a scale. However, the judgments that underlie this kind of
‘ranking’ can be too subjective and the rank may not necessarily match what is best for a particular
student’s individual needs.

One commonly referred to international ranking table is the Academic Ranking of World Universities
(ARWU) from the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The ARWU has been
published by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy since 2009. A range of other ranking methods are
summarised by the Australian Education Network.

It is also rare to find a university anywhere in the world that is the ‘best’ in all that they do. Likewise, a
reputation earned in one discipline, perhaps many years ago, may not be relevant to another
discipline in the 21st Century.

However, there are a number of possible indicators that show the relative standings of Australian
universities.

Entry Standards

While entry levels are fairly uniform for entry into Australian university degrees, different universities do
have different requirements for entry into similar courses. The relative academic levels can illustrate
which universities are considered better. This can show how, in general, academically more able
students choose one university over another to do a similar course.

Groups of Universities

Universities that share common characteristics have formed groups and networks that to some extent
illustrate differences in focus and objectives between groups of universities and the commonalities of
those within the group. These groups may be linked through a formal network, such as the Australian
Technology Network of Universities (ATN) and the Regional Universities Network which have their
headquarters situated in a regional centre. All Australian universities are members of Universities
Australia, the peak body representing the university sector:

77
A7.9 Internationalisation in Higher Education
in Australia

Internationalisation is developing within higher education in the following areas:

Area Development

Curriculum Many degrees have learning materials that reflect:

 the international content of subject matter and

 the possible international profile of students undertaking a program.

Student mobility & Most universities are promoting the benefits of:
exchange  domestic students undertaking a portion of their studies (and work

experience) in another country,

 international students undertaking their ‘study abroad’ in Australia.

Institutional  Universities have formed a number of international groups and bi-

partnerships lateral arrangements to collaborate in research and increasingly in
the delivery of specified programs.
 Private providers tend to be forming partnerships with public
universities that target the international education market.

78
International Students  International students have become very visible on Australian
campuses and they represent from 10% to 30% of the total student
population.

 Some universities have specific campuses that are predominately

populated by international students.

 International alumni associations have become important both in

recruitment and in advocating for a particular institution.

Structural  While Universities have a variety of administrative structures, their

administration international activities are headed by a senior management position
such as Deputy or Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International).
 Typically an administrative Director of an International Office
manages the strategic and procedural issues.
 In some cases an autonomous unit is dedicated to international
students and international recruitment can exist separate from the
main university administration.

 Some universities have off-shore administrative staff and/or

marketing staff and/or offices aiding their activities in that country.

Program delivery Universities have begun to develop means of delivering their programs
that increase access for international students such as:
 flexible web-based delivery (including distance education),

 off-shore campuses, off-shore twinning arrangements,

 off-shore partners that deliver all or part of their course(s).

In some cases, regional Australian universities have established

metropolitan campuses due to the attraction of the larger cities to
international students rather than less popular rural and smaller town
environments.

79
A7.10 How Good Are Australian Universities?
Australia has traditionally been the home of inventors and scientists right from its early settlement. This
happened partly out of necessity because in its early days, Australia was a long way from the rest of
the industrialised world; they had to rely on what could be produced locally. It is also true that the
Australian education system (especially the universities) are responsible for developing a culture of
innovation and discovery.

This culture of innovation aims to:

 make the best use of national and international information networks

 encourage creativity in all forms of research

 promote collaboration between university researchers and industry and

 disseminate the outcomes of research to the wider community.

Australian scientists and researchers have been responsible for many advances in business and
industry, and have made significant contributions in medical science. Australia has been a pioneer in
solar energy research and other potential energy sources. Australian advances in technology include
the development of the black box flight recorder, bionic ear implants, a heart pacemaker, the vaccine
for cancer of the cervix, and computer hardware and software. Australia is also at the forefront of
producing new technologies such as wave-piercing ocean catamarans, solar-powered cars and the
revolutionary orbital engine.

Australians have won prestigious international awards including eight Nobel prizes:

2005 Medicine

80
1995 Medicine

1975 Chemistry

1973 Literature

1963 Medicine

1960 Medicine

1945 Medicine

1915 Physics

Significant Australian inventions include:

The ultrasound is one of many Australian inventions

 Penicillin – (Howard Walter Florey)

 Ultrasound scanners – (Sonography)
 Radio telescopes

 Photovoltaic cells (Solar cells)

 The Xerox photocopying process

 The Electric Drill

 Postage stamps
 Regular ‘around the world’ airline services

 The inflatable aircraft escape slide

 The automatic letter-sorting machine

 The two stroke lawn mower

81
 The rotary hoist washing line (hills hoist)
 Lithium as a treatment for manic depression

 Latex gloves

82
A8. Post Secondary School Courses and
Careers

Overview

Agents often need to explain the relevance of a given course to a student in relation to their proposed
career path. This lesson provides an overview of courses and career pathways available through
Australian TAFE colleges, private colleges and universities in the following disciplines:

 Business and Economics

 Law
 Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Science
 Health

 Science
 Engineering and Technology
 Architecture and Building

 Creative Industries
 Humanities, Social Science and Education.

Information on programs and entry requirements in this lesson are general and typical. Agents should
refer to the relevant institution for specific requirements for programs they offer.

When referring to entry requirements, this lesson uses points awarded for A-level subjects:

83
 Subject Grade Points

A 5

B 4

C 3

D 2

E 1

For example, a university may specify an entry requirement of B-B-C in 3 subjects, which equals 11
points (= 4 + 4 + 3). Note that AS-levels are equivalent to half points (eg. A = 2.5).

Focus Questions

1. How do the entry requirements for Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses tend to differ from
Bachelor degree courses?
2. For each of the disciplines listed above, what are some of the specialisations that students could
study and what careers might they lead to?

3. What are some professional associations that students could join upon completing their
undergraduate studies?

84
A8.1 Business and Economics

Specialisations

The Business and Economics discipline is one of the most popular program choices for international
students coming to Australia.

The main difference between the two areas is that Economics investigates the science of an economy,
production distribution and the supply and demand of goods, whilst Business primarily deals with the
management aspects of the economy. Specialisations include:

85
  Accounting  Information Systems
 Administration  International Management/Business
 Advertising  Logistics
 Agribusiness  Marketing/Public Relations
 Arts Management  Micro and Macro Economics
 Banking and Finance  Organisational Behaviour
 Development Economics  Procurement
 Ecological & Environmental Economics  Property Studies
 Electronic Commerce/Business  Professional Economics
 Event/Leisure Management  Public Policy
 Commerce  Real Estate & Development
 Health Economics  Social Planning & Development
 Hospitality & Tourism  Taxation
 Human Resource Management

Qualifications

Business and Economics programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Certificate

 Diploma
 Advanced Diploma
 Bachelor Degree

 Graduate Certificate
 Postgraduate Diploma

 Masters by research/coursework
 Professional Doctorates

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational Business and Economics training through
Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Universities offer more specialised Bachelors Degrees,
Graduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters, Professional Doctorates and PhDs.

However, some TAFEs and colleges offer Bachelor Programs and some universities Diploma and
Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students wishing to link their programs and
reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Entry requirements into Business and Economics programs vary depending on the qualification level.
The qualification level depends on:

 the student’s academic history to date and

86
 the student’s career goal.

For example, a student wanting to become a pastry chef would look at VET programs offered at TAFE
and private colleges. A student with aspirations of becoming a hotel executive would look at university
level programs.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

Typical programs offered at TAFE and private colleges include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate III in Business Sales

 Certificate III in Mortgage Lending

 Certificate III in Hospitality Operations
 Certificate IV in Business Administration

Diploma  Diploma of Accounting/Commerce

 Diploma of Business
 Diploma of Hotel Management
 Diploma of Retail Management

 Diploma of Marketing

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Business Management

 Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management

Students who have completed the equivalent of Australian grade 10 or 12 would be considered for
entry into VET Programs. Typical entry requirements for a Certificate program are completion of the
equivalent of Australian grade 10. International equivalent qualifications include completion of:

 GCE O Levels
 the Malaysian SPM

 the Thai Mathayom Suksa grade 5

 the American grade 11.

Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas have slightly higher entry requirements. Students are required to
have completed the equivalent of Australian grade 12 and some programs require work experience.
Equivalent international qualifications for admission into Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas include:

 GCE A Levels
 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)
 the Thai Mathayom Suksa grade 6

 American grade 12.

87
University Programs

Entry requirements into university level programs are higher than VET programs. Examples of business
degrees include:

Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Applied Science

 Bachelor of Business

 Bachelor of Commerce
 Bachelor of Economics
 Bachelor of Hotel Management

Postgraduate  PostgraduateGraduate Certificate of Finance

 Graduate Certificate of Event Management

 Postgraduate Diploma of Human Resource Management
 Masters of Business Administration

 Masters of Financial Management

 Masters of Business

 Masters of Commerce
 Masters of Economics
 Professional Doctorate in Business

 Masters of Philosophy
 PhD

Undergraduate

Admission into an undergraduate Business program is generally based on completion of Australian

grade 12 or equivalent. In addition, some courses require prerequisite subjects.

Typically Commerce, Accounting, Banking, Finance and Economic streams have higher entry
requirements than Business, Marketing and Human Resource Management streams. Similarly, the
latter streams generally have higher requirements than Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management
disciplines. For example (at University of Queensland):

 Bachelor of Commerce – entry requirements at Australian universities range from an A Level entry
requirement of 10 points (in at least two subjects) plus completion of advanced Mathematics at
high school to an A Level result equal to 5 points (in at least two subjects) and no prerequisite
subjects.

 Bachelor of Hotel Management – entry requirements can range from an A Level entry requirement
of 4 points (in at least two subjects) to 9 points (in at least two subjects).

88
Postgraduate

Coursework postgraduate Business and Economics programs typically require completion of an

Australian Bachelor Degree (or equivalent) or have extensive work experience. Examples of
Postgraduate programs include:

Entry requirements into postgraduate Business programs depend on whether they are:

 a conversion program (for students without an undergraduate degree in the field); or

 an advanced postgraduate degree (for students with a relevant undergraduate degree).

Examples of entry requirements include:

 Masters of Business – typically include a specialisation and requires students to have completed
an undergraduate degree equivalent to an Australian Bachelor Degree in any field.
 Masters of Accounting or Financial Management – are generally advanced degrees and require
students to have completed a Bachelor Degree in Commerce, Accounting, Banking or Finance.
 Masters of Business Administration – are designed for executives who have work experience
post-graduation. Entry requirements range from 10 years work experience with no academic
qualifications to an Australian Bachelor Degree or equivalent plus at least two years work
experience post-graduation.

Postgraduate Business and Economics research programs usually require students to have completed
a Bachelor Degree with Honours I or II. Some universities accept postgraduate qualifying programs
and others require completion of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Pathways

There is a wide range of pathway options available to students not meeting entry requirements in their
desired program. For example, many institutions that offer Bachelor Degrees will give credit for prior
Diploma studies. This reduces the amount of time a student takes to complete their Bachelor Degree.

Not all universities in Australia recognise all qualifications, so care should be taken to ensure that
pathway options are available between institutions.

Consider a Thai student who wishes to complete a Bachelor Degree and has completed Mathayom
Suksa 5. This student could enrol in a Certificate program, upgrade with credit to a Diploma program
and then, depending on their grades, upgrade with credit to a Bachelor Degree.

Professional Associations

Many business programs include internships, practical assignments and placements that provide
students with practical experience. For example, many Certificates are traineeship based and
combine workplace experience and theory.

Some vocational and university programs also require placements in the workforce. For example, a
student completing a program in Hotel Management may be required to complete a 10 week
internship on which they are assessed in an international hotel.

Other programs require students to complete assignments based on working in businesses, such as
designing and publishing a brochure for an event.

89
On graduation from a Business or Economic program, students may be eligible for membership to an
international professional association below. Full membership to some of these associations requires a
person to complete further study. For example, a Bachelor of Commerce graduate may complete
further courses to become a CPA or Chartered Accountant. By becoming a fully accredited
accountant, they will increase their earning capacity.

Course Associations

Accounting  CPA Australia

 Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)

 The Tax Institute

 The Institute of Chartered Accountants
(England and Wales) (ICAEW)
 Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA)
 International Federation of Accountants
(IFAC)

Actuarial Studies  Institute of Actuaries of Australia

 American Academy of Actuaries

 International Actuarial Association (IAA)

 Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA)

 Institute of Actuaries – UK

Banking and Finance  Financial Services Institute of Australasia

(FINSIA)

 Financial Executives International of Australia

(FEI)

 Association for Financial Professionals (AFP)

Business and Management  Business Council of Australia (BCA)

 Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) –

Australia
 International Association of Business
Communicators (IABC)

Commerce  Australian Chamber of Commerce and

Industry (ACCI)
 International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

90
 Economics  International Economics and Finance Society
(IEFS)
 Economic Society of Australia (ESA)

Tourism  Australian Hotels Association (AHA)

 Australian Institute of Tourism Officers (AITO)

 Ecotourism Australia
 World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)

Marketing and Public Relations  Australian Marketing Institute

 Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA)

 International Public Relations Associations

(IPRA)

Career Opportunities

91
 Actuarial Studies  Real Estate Agent

 Banking  Marketing Manager

 International Economist  Sales Assistant

 Risk Management  Specialist Manager

 Valuation  Travel Agent
 Financial Modelling/Administration &  Accountant
Planning
 Auditor
Chef
Bookkeeper



Bar Attendant
Human Resource Manager



Beauty Therapist
Marketing, Public Relations & Advertising



 General Manager Professional

 General Clerk  Communication Manager & Speech Writer
 Hotel Manager  Business Owner
 Administration Clerk  Project Manager
 Management Consultant  Restaurant & Catering Manager
 Quality Assurance Manager  Tourism Operator
 Production Manager

92
A8.2 Law

Specialisations

The discipline of Law is suitable for people wanting to become lawyers, legal advisers in business or
pursue a career through law enforcement agencies.

Law programs in Australia cover the following specialisations:

 Banking, Business & Commercial Law  Intellectual Property Law

 Constitutional Law  International & Comparative Law

 Criminology  Jurisprudence
 Criminal Law  Justice Studies

 Economics Law  Employment Law

 Environmental Law  Legal Process

 Health Law  Legal Practice Administration

 Human Rights Law  Maritime Law
 Indigenous Law

Qualifications

93
Law programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Diploma

 Advanced Diploma
 Bachelor Degree
 Graduate Certificate

 Postgraduate Diploma
 Masters by research/coursework

 Professional Doctorates/PhD

Law administration programs such as Justice Administration and Legal Practice can be studied at all
qualification levels. Students wishing to pursue law for a career as a practising lawyer (eg. a solicitor or
barrister) would enrol in an accredited higher education program such as a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

Vocational & Technical Education Programs

Typical programs offered at TAFE and private colleges include:

Level Qualification

Diploma  Diploma of Justice Administration

 Diploma of Justice
 Diploma of Legal Practice

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Business (Legal

Practice)

Students who have completed the equivalent to Australian grade 12 would be considered for entry into
VET programs. Some programs require students to have achieved a satisfactory grade in English as a
pre-requisite. International equivalent qualifications include:

 completion of A Levels
 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)

 All-Indian Secondary School Certificate

 the International Baccalaureate.

University Programs

Universities offer both Legal Administration and Law programs. Typical programs include:

94
 Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Arts (Law major)

 Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal
Justice
 Bachelor of Business (Law major)
 Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

 Bachelor of Laws & Legal Practice

 Bachelor of Justice Studies

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Law

 Graduate Certificate of Legal Education

 Postgraduate Diploma of Legal Practice Skills

& Ethics

 Masters of Laws (LLM)

 Masters of Applied Law
 Doctor of Juridical Science

 Juris Doctor

There are two strands of law programs:

 those that allow a student to gain knowledge of the law – for example, Bachelor of Arts in
Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Masters of Applied Law

 those that provide academic qualifications for students wanting to practise law – for example,
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Juris Doctor. Typically these kinds of programs have higher entry
requirements than the general law programs.

Undergraduate

 Entry to Legal Administration programs starts from A Level entry requirement of 5 points (LINK to 8)
(minimum of 2 full A Level Academic subjects).
 Entry to Bachelor of Laws (LLB) ranges from A Level entry requirement of 11 points to 10 points.

Postgraduate

Coursework postgraduate law programs are available for law professionals wishing to further their
studies, for example the LLM; non-law professionals who wish to gain a knowledge in law such as the
Masters of Applied Law; and non-law professionals wishing to gain the academic qualifications to
practise law such as the Juris Doctor. Examples of entry requirements include:

 Juris Doctor – is designed for non-law graduates wishing to practise law. Entry requirements
generally are a recognised Australian Bachelor Degree.

95
 Masters of Laws (LLM) – is an advanced law program and can include both research and
coursework components. Students are required to have completed an Australian law degree.

 Masters of Justice Studies – is at the lower end of the entry requirement scale. Students require a
pass degree equivalent to an Australian Bachelor Degree.

Research programs in the law discipline usually require students to have completed a bachelor’s
degree with Honours I or II.

Pathways

Pathways are available for students wishing to pursue Legal Administration or Justice Studies.
Pathways for students wishing to enrol in Law, however, are less common due to the accreditation
requirements. Pathways tend to be for upgrading academic qualifications.

Credit is rarely given when students are transferring from Diploma or Advanced Diploma to an LLB at
university. Double Degrees are also offered with Law, which allows students to combine Law with
another discipline such as:

 LLB / Bachelor of Commerce

 Bachelor of Engineering / LLB

Professional Associations

Law programs in Australia sometimes include a practical component where students acquire some
practical experience in a law organisation such as a solicitor’s office. Students are also exposed to
Moot Courts and assessed on their performance.

Most Australian law programs are recognised internationally. However, some students from select
countries may be required to complete further studies to practise in their home country.

On graduation from a law program students may be eligible for membership to an international
professional association such as:

Course Association

Law  Law Council of Australia (LCA)

 Council of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE)

 International Law Students Association (ILSA)

Law Enforcement  Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA)

 International Police Association (IPA)

 Australasian Council of Women and Policing (ACWAP)

Career Opportunities

96
 Criminologist  Legal Secretary

 Intelligence Analyst  Police Officer

 Lawyer/Barrister/Solicitor/Magistrate  Private Investigator

 Legal Aid Officer  Youth Worker

97
A8.3 Agriculture, Environment and
Veterinary Science

Specialisations

This discipline covers a large study area including the following specialisations:

98
  Agribusiness  Land and Water Management

 Agricultural Biotechnology  Marine Science

 Agricultural Economics  Natural Resource Management

 Agronomy  Parks, Recreation & Heritage Management

 Animal Production/Science  Resource & Environmental Management

 Aquaculture  Rural Development

 Coastal Management  Sustainable Development

 Conservation & Land Management;  Tropical Animal Science

 Crop Production  Veterinary Science

 Ecology  Viticulture

 Environmental & Urban Planning;  Wilderness Reserves & Wildlife

 Equine Science  Wine Marketing/Science

 Fisheries  Zoo-keeping

 Forest Science

 Horticulture

Qualifications

Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Science disciplines are offered at the following qualifications
levels:

Levels Yes / No (Y / N)

Certificate Y

Diploma Y

Advanced Diploma Y

Bachelor Degree Y

Graduate Certificate Y

Postgraduate Diploma Y

Masters by research/coursework Y

Professional Doctorates N

99
 PhD Y

Most specialisations listed above are offered at all levels of academia. An exception to this is
Veterinary Science. The Bachelor of Veterinary Science provides graduates with the qualification to
practise as a Veterinarian. This course is only offered at the university level. In most other
specialisations, pathways are available for students wanting to upgrade from Certificates to Diplomas
to Advanced Diplomas and on to university studies.

Most qualifications at both vocational and university levels include practical hands on experience.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

Typical programs offered at TAFE and private colleges include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate in Forest & Forest Products

 Certificate in Animal Studies/Animal Industry
Practices
 Certificate IV in Captive Animals

Diploma  Diploma of Agriculture

 Diploma of Conservation & Land
Management
 Diploma of Horticulture

 Diploma of Seafood Industries

 Diploma of Veterinary Nursing

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Renewable Energy

Typically, Certificates have the lowest entry requirements, and Advanced Diplomas the highest. Most
agricultural, environmental and vet nursing courses offered through a TAFE or private college do not
have pre-requisite subject requirements. Examples of typical entry requirements for this discipline
include:

 Certificate I in Conservation and Management – there are no specific entry requirements.

 Diploma of Agriculture – completion of the equivalent of Australian grade 12 (including:

completion of A Levels; All Indian Secondary School; or International Baccalaureate).

University Programs

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Entry requirements into Bachelor Degree programs are higher than vocational programs. Examples of
courses offered in agriculture, environmental and veterinary science fields include:

Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Diploma of Applied Science

 Bachelor of Agribusiness

 Bachelor of Agricultural Science

 Bachelor of Applied Science
 Bachelor of Environmental
Science/Management
 Bachelor of Natural Resource Economics

 Bachelor of Veterinary Science

Postgraduate  Masters of Tropical Veterinary Science

 Masters by Research
 PhD

Undergraduate

In most cases, for admission into an undergraduate program students are required to complete
qualifications equivalent to Australian grade 12, as well as fulfilling subject prerequisites. Typically
Veterinary Science has higher entry requirements than environmental based programs followed by
agricultural based programs. For example:

 Bachelor of Agriculture – entry requirements range from A Level requirement of 5 to 6 points and
students must have achieved a pass in Chemistry or Physics and Mathematics at high school.
 Bachelor of Environmental Science – entry requirements range from A Level requirements of 9
points down to 5 points and student must have achieved a pass in Chemistry or Physics and
Mathematics at high school.

 Bachelor of Veterinary Science – typically has an entry requirements of 13 A Level points and
prerequisite subjects of Mathematics, English, Physics and Chemistry and has quota restrictions.

Postgraduate

Postgraduate programs offered in this discipline provide:

 re-training of non-professionals;
 up-grading qualifications;
 specialised training in specific fields.

The graduate courses designed for students without a relevant degree have lower entry requirements
than those courses provided to students upgrading their qualifications in the field.

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Postgraduate research programs usually require students to have completed a Bachelor Degree with
Honours I or II. Select universities have pathways available to students wishing to complete a research
degree without Honours.

Pathways

There are several pathway options for students interested in the Agriculture and Environmental
disciplines. Fewer pathways exist for students wanting to enrol in Veterinary Science. Many universities
offer Diploma and Certificate program articulation pathways to Bachelor Degree levels.

Professional Associations

Most of the programs offered within this discipline include hands-on practical experience such as:
laboratory experiments; field studies and research assignments. This experience provides graduates
with on-the-job skills before graduation.

Graduates may be eligible for membership at one of the following professional associations:

Course Associations

Agriculture  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

(CSIRO)

 National Farmers Federation (NFF)

 International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP)

Environment  Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)

 Ecological Society of Australia (ECOLSOC)

 Environmental Industry Association (EIA)

Fisheries  National Aquaculture Council (NAC)

 Australia World Aquaculture Society (WAS)

Forestry  Australia’s National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI)

 Global Association of Online Foresters (GAOF)

Horticulture and  Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH)

Viticulture
 Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA)
 International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)

Veterinary Science  Australian Veterinary Association (AVA)

 International Veterinary Students Association (IVSA)

 World Veterinary Association (WVA)

Career Opportunities

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 Agricultural Scientist/Engineer  Horticulturalist
 Animal Attendant  Forestry & Soil Professionals
 Aquaculture Technician  Park Rangers
 Environmental Scientist  Veterinarian
 Farmer/Farm Worker  Veterinarian Assistant
 Gardener/Landscaper  Winemaker
 Greens Keeper

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A8.4 Health

Specialisations

The discipline of Health includes the following broad specialisations:

 Complementary Therapies  Optical Science

 Dental Science  Pharmacy

 Medical Science  Public Health
 Nursing  Radiography

 Nutrition & Community Health  Rehabilitation Therapies

Qualifications

Health discipline programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Certificate
 Diploma

 Advanced Diploma
 Bachelor Degree

 Graduate Certificate
 Postgraduate Diploma

104
 Masters by research/coursework

 PhD

Vocational Education and Training Programs

TAFE and private colleges offer a wide range of practical Health programs including:

 Community Health;

 Dental Health;
 Alternative Therapies – such as herbal medicine, shiatsu, remedial medicine, naturopathy and
massage;
 Medical Imaging Science;
 Tropical Medicine;

 Nursing.

Examples of programs offered at this level include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate IV in Community Services

Diploma  Diploma of Remedial Massage

 Diploma of Dental Technology

 Diploma of Applied Science (Acupuncture)

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Operating Theatre Practices

 Advanced Diploma of Nursing

Typically entry requirements into medically based programs such as Nursing, Dental Science and
Medical Science are higher than Remedial Therapies and Community Services. For example:

 Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics – this program in some cases requires students to have
work experience as well as academic qualifications.

 Diploma of Nursing Care – in some cases, entry requires:

 – a pre-selection test through VETASSESS;

 – a current first aid certificate:

 – completion of Australian grade 12 or equivalent (A Levels, International Baccalaureate or
Canadian OAC).

 Diploma of Applied Science – requires completion of equivalent to Australian grade 12 (A Levels,

International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC).

University Programs

105
Medical programs at universities have limited places and high entry requirements. Some streams will
require students to have completed a Bachelor Degree before being admitted.

Note that the English language requirements are usually higher for programs in the Health field. For
example, the English language proficiency requirements for the University of Queensland can be found
here.

Examples of programs offered by universities include:

Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Nursing

 Bachelor of Dentistry
 Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

 Bachelor of Pharmacy
 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
 Bachelor of Health Science

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Health Services Management

 Masters of Mental Health Nursing

 Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics
 Masters by research of Public Health

 PhD

Undergraduate

Examples of typical entry requirements are:

 Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – has the highest entry requirement of any
Health discipline course. Requirements range from admission on the basis of a Bachelor Degree,
interview and completion of a Medical pre-admission test such as the GAMSAT or MCAT to the top
1% of school leavers. This equates to 13 points from A Levels. Students enrolling in the MBBS also
have to complete clinical and practical training before being allowed to practise as a Doctor.

 Bachelor of Dentistry – also has limited places and very high entry requirements. At some
universities students enrol in a pre-dentistry program during their first year. Admittance into
Bachelor of Dentistry is then based on their performance.
 Bachelor of Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – also have high entry
requirements and limited places, however students are generally assessed for admission on the
basis of their high school results.
 Nursing and Health Administration courses have relatively lower entry requirements. For example,
Bachelor of Nursing – entry requirements range from completion of Australian grade 12 (or
equivalent) with one prerequisite subject from Biology, Chemistry or Physics to excellent grades
from Australian grade 12 or equivalent.

106
Postgraduate

Postgraduate programs in Health tend to be for students with a scientific undergraduate degree.

Pathways

Limited pathways are available within this discipline including:

 Remedial Medicine

 Health Administration and

 Nursing and Health Sciences.

Other non-credit pathways are available for students pursuing a graduate MBBS through a Science-
related undergraduate degree.

Professional Associations

Generally, Health programs include practical components where students treat patients under
supervision. Examples of programs offering this practice include: MBBS; Dental Science; Pharmacy;
Physiotherapy; Occupational Therapy; and Nursing.

Graduated students may be eligible for membership in the following professional bodies:

Course Associations

Dental Science  Australian Dental Association (ADA)

 International Association for Dental Research (IADR)

Medical Science  Australian Medical Association (AMA)

 World Medical Association (WMA)

Nursing  Australian Nursing Federation (ANF)

 Australian College of Nurses (ACN)

 International Council of Nurses (ICN)

Optical Science  Australian Optical Society (AOS)

 Optometrists Association of Australia

Pharmacy  Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)

 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)

Career Opportunities

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 Acupuncturist  Pharmacist
 Audiologist  Physiotherapist

 Dental Technician/Dentist  Psychiatrist

 Nurse  Welfare & Community Worker
 Massage Therapist  Podiatrist

 Health Administrator  Ambulance Officer

 Occupational Therapist  Chiropractor

 Dietician  Natural Medicine Practitioner

 Doctor/Surgeon/Specialist

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A8.5 Science

Specialisations

The science field is very large; it incorporates Physical, Biological and Chemical Sciences. Examples of
areas of specialisations include:

 Astronomy  Food Science

 Astrophysics  Forensic Science

 Biochemistry  Genetics

 Bioinformatics  Geography

 Biomedical Science  Geology

 Biotechnology  Mathematical Science

 Botany  Parasitological Science

 Chemistry  Physics

 Earth Science  Toxicology

 Ecology  Zoology

 Entomology
 Environmental Science

Qualifications

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Science programs are offered in the following qualification levels:

 Certificate
 Diploma
 Advanced Diploma

 Bachelor Degree
 Graduate Certificate

 Postgraduate Diploma
 Masters by research/coursework
 PhD

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational science training through Certificates, Diplomas and
Advanced Diplomas. Universities offer more specialised Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Certificates,
Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters, Professional Doctorates and PhDs.

However, there are some exceptions. Select TAFEs and Colleges might offer Bachelor programs.
Universities may offer Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students
wishing to link their programs and reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

Vocational Education Programs available in this discipline are skills specific. Examples of awards
include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate III in Marine Science

 Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques

Diploma  Diploma of Food Technology

 Diploma of Science

Typically, students are required to have completed the equivalent of grade 10 for admission into
Certificate programs and the equivalent of grade 12 for admission into the Diploma programs.

University Programs

Students are most likely to enrol in one of the following programs:

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 Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Science (BSc)

 Bachelor of Applied Science (BAppSci)

 Bachelor of Biotechnology

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificates

 Postgraduate Diplomas

 Masters of Science (MSc)

 Masters of Applied Science
 PhD

Typical entry requirements:

 Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) or Bachelor of Applied Science (Astrophysics) – A Levels

entry requirements range from 5 to 10 points. Typically, students are required to have completed
pre-requisite courses of Mathematics and at least two Science subjects as part of their high school
certificate. Some universities do offer these courses as part of the Science degree but they are
studies without credit towards the degree.

All programs involve laboratory experiments and some fieldwork.

Pathways

Pathways are available for students who wish to enter undergraduate science programs, such as
foundation courses. However, few pathways are available for students wishing to transfer with credit
from Vocational to Higher Education qualifications.

Professional Associations

Graduated students may be eligible for membership in the following professional bodies:

Course Associations

Astronomy  International Astronomical Union (IAU)

 Astronomical Society of Australia Inc. (ASA)

Biological Science  Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
 International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS)

111
 Biotechnology  AusBiotech – Australians Biotechnology Organisation

Chemical Science  Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)

 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)

Earth Sciences  The Geological Society – UK

 International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)

Food Science  Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST)

 International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST)

Career Opportunities

 Geologist  Chemist
 Geophysicist  Ecologist
 Scientist  Environmental Scientist
 Mathematician  Wildlife Biologist
 Laboratory Assistant/Technician  Biotechnician
 Biochemist

112
A8.6 Engineering and Technology

Specialisations

The Engineering and Technology disciplines offered in Australia cover numerous areas of
specialisations including:

113
  Aviation/Aerospace  Materials Engineering
 Biomedical  Manufacturing Engineering
 Building Services/Construction  Mechanical Engineering
 Computer Science  Mining Engineering
 Chemical Engineering  Network Support
 Civil Engineering  Operating Systems Security
 Digital Design  Resource Engineering
 Electronic Publishing  Software Development
 Electrical Engineering  Sound Production
 Environmental Engineering  Telecommunications Design
 Hardware Development  User Support
 Industrial Engineering  Video Games Development
 Information Technology  Web development
 Internet Systems

Qualifications

Engineering and Technology programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Certificate
 Diploma
 Advanced Diploma

 Bachelor Degree
 Graduate Certificate

 Postgraduate Diploma
 Masters by research/coursework
 Professional Doctorates/PhD

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational programs through Certificates, Diplomas and
Advanced Diplomas, which allow students to become Technicians and Engineering Assistants.
Universities offer more specialised Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas,
Masters, Professional Doctorates and PhDs. These programs allow students to practise as professional
Engineers.

There are some exceptions though. Some TAFEs and Colleges might offer Bachelor programs and
Universities may offer Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students
wishing to link their programs and reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

114
Vocational Education programs offered through TAFE and private colleges lead students to careers as
associate professionals. The majority of these programs include work placements and internships
allowing students to gain on-the-job experience before graduation.

Typical programs offered at this level include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate IV in Information Technology

 Certificate IV in Multimedia
 Certificate IV in Technology in Electronic Engineering

Diploma  Diploma of Airport Management

 Diploma of Structural Engineering

 Diploma of Information Technology (Software Development)

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Information Technology (E Business or E Security)

 Advanced Diploma of Engineering

Typically, engineering streams have higher entry requirements than the technology streams. Examples
of the range of entry requirements are below:

 Advanced Diploma of Computer Systems Engineering – entry is generally only available through
articulated entry from Certificate III to Certificate IV to Diploma. Students with prior study in this
area may complete a bridging program for admission.
 Certificate IV in Information Technology (Client Support) – students generally must have
completed Australian grade 10 or equivalent (such as Mathayom Suksa Yr 5; O Levels; Taiwanese
High School).
 Diploma of Information Technology (Software Development) – admission is based on a student
completing the equivalent to Australian grade 12 (or A Levels; STMP; All-Indian Secondary School
Certificate) or articulated entry from a Certificate IV program.

University Programs

Completion of a degree at university level allows students to practise as professional Engineers.

Programs are devised in conjunction with Engineers Australia and the Australian Computer Society.
Examples of programs include:

115
 Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Arts (Computer Science/Information

Management/Information Technology)
 Bachelor of Applied Science
 Bachelor of Computer Science

 Bachelor of Engineering
 Bachelor of Information Technology

 Bachelor of Information Systems

 Bachelor of Technology

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Information Technology

 Postgraduate Diploma of Engineering

 Masters by coursework/research
 PhD

Undergraduate

Many universities offer a common first year for Engineering students and then start to specialise in
their second year. Similar to vocational education the Engineering streams have higher entry
requirements than Technology courses. For example:

 Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science – entry requirements range from 5 points at A Levels with no
subject prerequisites to 10 points at A Levels including a prerequisite subject of Mathematics.
 Bachelor of Engineering – entry requirements range from 5 points at A Levels with subject
prerequisites of Mathematics, Physics and or Chemistry to 11 points at A Levels and Mathematics,
Physics and Chemistry prerequisites.

Postgraduate

Postgraduate programs for Engineering students are generally offered at advanced levels. Within the
technology disciplines there are several conversion graduate programs offered. These programs are
available for non-technology graduates. For example:

 Masters of Information Technology – admission is based on a student completing the equivalent

to an Australian Bachelor Degree in any other discipline than Information Technology to a student
with an equivalent Australian Bachelor Degree in an Information Technology discipline.
 Masters of Engineering – students must have completed equivalent to an Australian Bachelor of
Engineering Degree.

Pathways

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There are limited pathways linking vocational and university level programs. These are more common
in the Technology field than the Engineering field, although a limited number of private colleges have
partnered with universities to offer Engineering pathways.

Professional Associations

The majority of programs offered within the Engineering and Technology discipline are developed in
coordination with the appropriate professional body. The courses usually offer internships and work
placement. For example, TAFE offers traineeship programs for students already employed in their
preferred industry.

Graduates may be eligible for membership of one of the following professional bodies:

Course Associations

Engineering  Engineers Australia

 The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists & Managers, Australia

(APESMA)

 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society

 World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO)

Technology  Australian Computer Society (ACS)

 Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA)

 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

Career Opportunities

 Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) Operator  Instrument Maker

 Coal Miner  Engineer
 Data Communication Technician  Digital Designer/Administrator
 Designer  E-commerce Specialist
 Technician Electrical/Engineering/Electronics  Information Systems Manager
 Fitter and Turner  Scientist
 Systems Analyst
 3D Designer

 Web Designer/Developer

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A8.7 Architecture and Building

Specialisations

Architecture programs in Australia are devised in collaboration with the Australian Institute of
Architects, and Building programs developed with the Australian Institute of Building (AIB).
Specialisations available through this discipline include:

 Interior Design/Decoration  Building Surveying

 Urban/Regional/Rural Planning  Building Design
 Urban Studies  Cabinet-making/Carpentry
 Environmental Planning  Plumbing/Tiling/Plastering
 Town Planning  Drafting
 Landscape Design  Landscape Gardening
 Construction Management

Qualifications

Architecture and Building programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

Certificate

Diploma

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Advanced Diploma

Bachelor Degree

Graduate Certificate

Postgraduate Diploma

Masters by research/coursework

PhD

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational programs through Certificates, Diplomas and
Advanced Diplomas. These allow students to become tradespeople and gain practical job skills.
Universities offer more specialised Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas,
Masters, Professional Doctorates and PhDs. These programs allow students to practise as professional
Architects, Urban Planners and Surveyors.

There are, however, some exceptions. Some TAFEs and Colleges might offer Bachelor programs and
universities Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students wishing to
link their programs and reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

TAFE and private colleges offer programs in specific trades associated with the building construction
industry. These are offered as traditional programs as well as through traineeships where students
learn on-the-job.

Examples of programs offered at this level include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate IV in Architectural Technology

 Certificate IV in Building

Diploma  Diploma of Building Design

 Diploma of Interior Design

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Building Design

Entry requirements vary but typically admission into architectural and design programs are higher
than the trade based programs. For example:

 Certificate IV in Carpentry – students generally must have completed equivalent to Australian

grade 10 (such as Mathayom Suksa Yr 5; O Levels; Taiwanese High School: SMA).
 Diploma of Building – requires completion of Australian grade 12 or equivalent (A Levels,
International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC).

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University Programs

Completion of an Architecture, Planning or Development Degree at university level allows students to

practise as professionals in their chosen field. Examples of university level programs include:

Level Qualification

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Architecture

 Bachelor of Arts (Architectural Studies)

 Bachelor of Science
 Bachelor of Town Planning
 Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Development

Planning
 Postgraduate Diploma of Project
Management
 Masters of Regional Development
 Masters of Architecture

 PhD

Undergraduate

Requirements for entry into specialised programs such as Bachelor of Architecture are generally
higher than Bachelor of Arts or Science majoring in Architecture or Urban Planning. However,
completion of the latter program would not give students accreditation to practise as a professional.
Examples of admission requirements include:

Bachelor of Architecture – 5 points at A Level in a minimum of two subjects to 11 points at A Levels.

Some competitive courses also require students to produce a portfolio to be considered for admission.

Most university programs in Architecture, Urban Planning and Town Planning include a practical
internship. This provides students with essential hands-on experience before graduation.

Postgraduate

Examples of admission requirements are as follows:

 Masters of Architecture – A relevant Australian Bachelor Degree or equivalent plus a design

portfolio.

 Masters of Urban and Regional Planning – entry requirements range from an Australian Bachelor
Degree or equivalent in a relevant field, to an Australian postgraduate degree or equivalent in a
relevant field plus at least two years work experience.

Pathways

120
Very few pathways are available for students wanting to transfer their credits and qualifications from
the VTE sector to University sector. Pathways do exist within TAFE and private colleges to articulate
between Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma. Similar pathways exist in universities for
students wishing to upgrade from Graduate Certificates to Postgraduate Diplomas to Masters and
PhD.

Professional Associations

Graduated students may be eligible for membership in the following professional bodies:

Course Associations

Architecture  Australian Institute of Architects

 Student Organised Network for Architecture
(SONA) – Australia
 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
(AILA)
 Commonwealth Association of Architects
(CAA)

 New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA)

 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

(RAIC)

 American Institute of Architects (AIA)

 The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA)

 Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM)

 Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA)

Building  Australian Institute of Building (AIB)

 Australian Institute of Building Surveyors

(AIBS)
 Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
(AIQS)

 Master Builders of Australia (MBA)

 National Association of Women in
Construction (NAWIC)
 Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) – UK

 American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

 Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIOC)

Career Opportunities

121
 Architect  Building and Construction Manager

 Landscape Architect  Painter

 Urban and Regional Planner  Interior Designer

 Civil Engineer  Construction Plant Operator

 Plumber  Project Manager

 Fibrous Plasterer  Surveyor

 Safety Inspector  Town Planner

 Carpenter

122
A8.8 Creative Industries

Specialisations

The Creative Industries discipline involves the cultural professions. Students are assessed through a
variety of methods including performance, exhibitions, presentations and written exams.
Specialisations include:

123
  Acting  Film and Video Production

 Animation  Fine Arts

 Arts  Graphic Design

 Broadcasting  Floristry

 Ceramics  Jeweller

 Theatre  Lighting and Sound

 Contemporary Craft  Multimedia

 Costume  Performing Arts

 Dance  Printing

 Design  Screenwriting

 Desktop Publishing  Staging

 Digital Media Design  Visual Arts

 Entertainment  Photography

 Events  Music

 Fashion Design

Qualifications

Creative Industries programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Certificate
 Diploma

 Advanced Diploma
 Bachelor Degree

 Graduate Certificate
 Postgraduate Diploma
 Masters by research/coursework

 PhD

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational programs through Certificates, Diplomas and
Advanced Diplomas. These allow students to gain practical job skills. Universities offer more
specialised Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters, Professional
Doctorates and PhDs.

There are, however, some exceptions. Some TAFEs and Colleges might offer Bachelor Programs and
universities Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students wishing to
link their programs and reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Vocational Education and Training Programs

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Vocational Education programs in the Creative Industries discipline are offered either directly through
TAFEs and private colleges or through traineeships and internships. Examples of courses include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate IV in Entertainment (Lighting and

Sound)

 Diploma of Arts (Ceramics)

Diploma  Diploma of Dance (Teaching and

Management)
 Diploma of Music Performance (Jazz and
Popular).

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Digital Television

Production and Management

Entry requirements vary but typically admission into technical programs are higher than the talent
based programs. These latter programs sometimes require audition or portfolios for admission. For
example:

 Certificate II in Creative Industries Pathways – generally students must be over 15 years of age.

 Certificate IV in Costume for Performance – requires completion of equivalent to Australian grade

12 (A Levels, International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC).

 Diploma of Music Industry (Technical Production) – admission requirements range from none to
completion of Australian grade 12 or equivalent.
 Advanced Diploma of Music – typically entry requirements covering the equivalent to Australian
Year 12 (A Levels, International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC) is recommended. Completion of a
Diploma of Music (or equivalent) or demonstration and/or audition is often required.

University Programs

Many universities and Art and Design Colleges offer a variety of specialisations through their
programs. Examples of higher education programs include:

125
 Level Qualifications

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Arts

 Bachelor of Design
 Bachelor of Performing Arts
 Bachelor of Visual Arts

 Bachelor of Music

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Music Studies

 Postgraduate Diploma of Music Technology
 Masters of Design

 Doctorate of Visual Arts

 PhD

Undergraduate

Admission into the Creative Industries programs varies. Many of the programs require minimum
academic qualifications as well as a portfolio, audition, completion of music examinations or
admission tests. Some examples of typical entry requirements include:

 Bachelor of Fine Arts – typically entry requirements cover equivalent to Australian Year 12 (A Levels,
International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC) plus some institutions require a portfolio
submission.
 Bachelor of Music – typically entry requirements cover equivalent to Australian Year 12 (A Levels,
International Baccalaureate or Canadian OAC). Some institutions require:

 – prerequisite courses of English and Music; or

 – a Pass in Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Grade 7 or higher in a practical
examination & AMEB Grade 5 or higher in Theory or Musicianship; or
 – equivalent results from another examination board.

 In some cases applicants also need to take an audition/interview and musicianship test.

Postgraduate

For the majority of postgraduate research and coursework programs students are required to have
completed a relevant Australian undergraduate degree or equivalent and submit a portfolio, have an
audition/interview, or show substantial work experience in their field.

Pathways

A number of pathways link vocational education with university studies in the Creative Industries
discipline.

Professional Associations

126
Graduated students may be eligible for membership in the following Australian professional bodies:

Course Associations

Design  Australian Graphic Design Association

(AGDA)

 American Institute of Graphic Art (AIGA)

 Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) – UK

 Designers Institute of New Zealand (DINZ)

 Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA)

 Industrial Design Centre (IDC) – Bombay,
India
 International Council of Design (ICOD)

 Design Professionals of Canada (DESCAN)

Performing Arts  Arts Hub Australia

 Theatre Australia
 ACTRA – Canada

 Allied Artists of America (AAA)

 Arts Council England

 Performing Arts Association of India

 European Council of Artists (ECA)
 International Directory of Performing Arts
Collectors and Institutions (SIBMAS)
 International Society of Performing Arts
(ISPA)
 Performing Arts Network of New Zealand
(PANNZ)

Visual Arts and Crafts  Craft Australia

 National Association for the Visual Arts
(NAVA) – Australia

 Artists Alliance – New Zealand

 Hong Kong Arts Development Council
(HKADC)
 Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) –
Philippines
 Singapore Art

Career Opportunities
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 Designer  Composer
 Illustrator  Film/Radio/Stage Director

 Jeweller  Potter
 Musician  Sculptor

 Singer  Graphic Designer

 Actor  Animator
 Film Producer  Cinematographer

 Film Executive  Editor;

 Screenplay Writer  Exhibition Designer

 Dancer  Fashion Designer

 Artist  Museum/Gallery Curator
 Film/Radio/TV/Stage Worker  Sound Editor/Producer/Engineer

 Photographer

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A8.9 Humanities, Social Science and
Education

Specialisations

The Humanities, Social Science and Education disciplines cover a range of specialisations involving the
study of people, cultures and institutions. Specialisations include:

129
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies  Advocacy
 Aged Care  American Studies

 Alcohol and other Drugs Work  International Relations

 Asian Studies  Politics
 Children’s Services  Anthropology

 Community Services  Archaeology

 Counselling  Behavioural Management

 Disability Services  Cognitive Science

 Fitness  Psychology
 Interpreting  Curatorial Services

 Language  Education
 Leisure and Health  Early Learning

 Mental Health  Geography

 Social Science  History
 Sport and Recreation  International Relations

 Welfare Services
 Youth Work

Qualifications

Humanities, Social Science and Education programs are offered at the following qualification levels:

 Certificate

 Diploma
 Advanced Diploma
 Bachelor Degree

 Graduate Certificate
 Postgraduate Diploma

 Masters by research/coursework
 PhD

TAFE and private colleges typically offer vocational programs through Certificates, Diplomas and
Advanced Diplomas. These allow students to gain practical job skills, typically in Community Services
and General Studies. Universities offer more specialised Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Certificates,
Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters, Professional Doctorates and PhDs.

Many of these programs allow graduates to work as accredited professionals. There are, however,
some exceptions. Some TAFEs and Colleges might offer Bachelor programs and universities, Diploma

130
and Advanced Diploma programs. Pathways are available for students wishing to link their programs
and reduce the amount of time of their total study.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programs

Vocational education programs in the Humanities, Social Science and Education discipline are offered
either directly through TAFEs and private colleges or through traineeships and internships. Examples of
courses include:

Level Qualification

Certificate  Certificate III in Community Services (Aged

Care)

Diploma  Diploma of Language

 Diploma of Outdoor Recreation

 Diploma of Theology

Advanced Diploma  Advanced Diploma of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Studies

Entry requirements vary but typically admission into Community Welfare and Counselling programs
are higher than the General Education programs, where audition or portfolios are sometime required
for admission. For example:

 Certificate III in Library/Information Services – typically this course is suitable for any person
wanting to work in libraries and information services.
 Diploma of Children’s Services – students generally must articulate from the Certificate IV course
into this program. Applicants generally must attain Government certification for working with
children.

 Advanced Diploma of Interpreting (Professional) – admission to this course is typically through

articulation from the relevant Diploma. Other institutions require applicants to be accredited as a
paraprofessional interpreter by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters
(NAATI), have practical interpreting work experience, and complete prerequisite subjects for entry.

University Programs

Universities usually offer a wide range of specialist and general programs within the Humanities, Social
Science and Education disciplines. A number of these programs lead to accreditation as professionals.
Examples of degrees include:

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 Level Qualifications

Undergraduate  Bachelor of Arts

 Bachelor of Psychology
 Bachelor of Social Work

 Bachelor of Education
 Bachelor of TESOL

Postgraduate  Graduate Certificate of Sociology

 Postgraduate Diploma of Theology

 Masters of Professional Ethics and

Governance

 PhD

Undergraduate

Admission into the Humanities, Social Science and Education programs varies. Typically, general
education programs offered as a major through Bachelor of Arts have lower entry requirements than
the more specialised programs such as Psychology, Education and Social Work. Some programs do
require students to have completed prerequisite subjects for admissions.

Examples of admission levels include:

 Bachelor of Arts – 5 points at A Level in a minimum of two subjects to 8 points at A Levels. Some
institutions require prerequisite courses for admission depending on the chosen specialisation.

 Bachelor of Social Work – 5 points at A Level in a minimum of two subjects to 9 points at A Levels.
Some universities only offer graduate entry programs. Students are required to have completed an
Australian Bachelor Degree or equivalent for admission.
 Bachelor of Psychology – 5 points at A Level in a minimum of two subjects to 12 points at A Levels.

The majority of specialised programs offered through universities involve a practical component. An
example of this is teacher training for Bachelor of Education and placements for Bachelor of
Psychology and Social Work.

Students enrolling in a Bachelor of Education are usually required to enrol in a dual degree in their
preferred teaching area. For example, a student wanting to teach mathematics might enrol in
Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Science (Mathematics).

Alternatively, some institutions offer graduate entry Bachelor of Education courses. These are designed
for students who have completed a general Bachelor Degree and would like to earn the qualifications
to allow them to teach in that area.

Postgraduate

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At a postgraduate level a number of institutions offer conversion programs for students who have
completed a non-related undergraduate program and wish to change careers.

Advanced postgraduate coursework and research programs are also offered. Postgraduate research
programs usually require students to have completed a Bachelor Degree with Honours I or II. Select
universities do have pathways available to students wishing to complete a research degree without
Honours.

Pathways

A number of pathways link VET with university studies in the Humanities, Social Science and Education
disciplines.

Professional Associations

Graduated students may be eligible for membership in the following Australian professional bodies:

Course Associations

Language and Literature  Association for the Study of Australian

Literature (ASAL)

 Association for the Study of Literature,

Environment and Culture, Australia and New
Zealand (ASLE-ANZ)
 Alliance of Literary Societies (ALS) – UK
 American Literature Association (ALA)
 National Book Development Council of
Singapore (NBDCS)

 New Zealand Book Council

 International Federation of Language

Teacher Associations (FIPLV)

133
Politics  Australian Political Studies
AssociationAmerican Political Science
Association (APSA)
 Canadian Political Science Association
(CPSA)

 European Consortium for Political Research

(ECPR)

 International Association for Political Science

Students (IAPSS)

 International Political Science Association

(IPSA)

 Political Studies Association (PSA) – UK

Psychology  Australian Psychological Society (APS)

 American Psychological Association (APA)

 European Federation of Psychologists
Associations (EFPA)
 International Association of Applied
Psychology (IAAP)

 International Psychology Students

Organisation (IPSO)

Sociology  The Australian Sociological Association

(TASA)
 American Sociological Association (ASA)

 European Sociological Association (ESA)

 International Sociological Association (ISA)

Welfare Services  Australian Association of Social Workers

(AASW)

 Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)

 HandsNet – US

 International Council of Social Welfare

(ICSW)

 International Federation of Social Workers

(IFSW)

134
 Education  European Educational Research Association
(EERA)
 Australian Teacher Education Association
(ATEA)

 Association for Tertiary Education Managers

(ATEM)

 National Education Association (NEA) – US

 Singapore Teachers Union (STU)

Career Opportunities

 Teacher  Aged and Disability Carer

 School Faculty Head  Community Welfare Officer

 Special Education Teacher  Psychologist

 Teachers Aide  Youth and Disability Worker

 Childcare Coordinator/Worker  Anthropologist

 English as a Second Language Teacher  Archaeologist

 Archivist  Social Scientist

 Coach  Academic/Researcher

 Hostel and Refuge Worker  Curator

 Social Worker  Linguist

 Interpreter

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A9. Extension: Useful Information
Note: This extension section is provided for information only and will not be covered in self-
assessment tasks or the formal certification examination.

Government sites

 Australia – Country Information (DFAT)

 Australian Demographic Statistics, March 2011 (ABS)

Tourism sites

 Visit Canberra

 Tourism New South Wales

 Visit the Northern Territory Tourism
 Tourism Queensland

 South Australian Tourism Commission

 Tourism Tasmania

 Tourism Victoria
 Western Australian Tourism

Weather Information

 Rainfall and Temperature graphs (BOM)

Standard Times

Australia has both Standard Times and Daylight Saving Times (note that GMT stands for Greenwich
Mean Time).

Time State/Territory GMT Example

Eastern Standard Time  New South Wales + 10 5:00pm

(EST)
 Australian Capital
Territory
 Victoria
 Tasmania

 Queensland

Central Standard Time  South Australia + 9.5 4:30pm

(CST)
 Northern Territory

136
 Western Standard Time  Western Australia +8 3:00pm
(WST)

Daylight Saving Times

Time State/Territory GMT Example

Eastern  New South Wales + 11 5:00pm

Daylight/Summer Time
 Australian Capital
(EDT)
Territory

 Victoria
 Tasmania

 Queensland

Central  South Australia + 10.5 4:30pm

Daylight/Summer Time
(CDT)

Western  Western Australia + 9.0 3:00pm

Daylight/Summer Time
(WDT)

No Daylight Saving  Queensland + 10 7:00pm

Times – use Standard  Northern Territory + 9.5 6:30pm
Times

Refer to the Bureau of Meteorology for the start and finish dates of daylight saving times.

Standard Times from Around the World

These times are from timeanddate.com with GMT = 0:00 (midnight).

City Country GMT Time

Auckland New Zealand +12 12:00 midday

Sydney Australia +10 10:00am

Tokyo Japan +9 9:00am

137
Perth Australia +8 8:00am

Beijing China +8 8:00am

Bangkok Thailand +7 7:00am

New Delhi India +5.5 5:30am

Riyadh Saudi Arabia +3 3:00am

Nairobi Kenya +3 3:00am

London UK 0 12:00 midnight

Sao Paulo Brazil -3 9:00pm

New York USA -5 7:00pm

Los Angeles USA -8 4:00pm

138
Regulations & Legislation (REG)
This chapter we will be covering:

B2. An Introduction to Regulations and Legislation

B3. The ESOS Act

B4. The National Code of Practice

B5. CRICOS

B6. PRISM

B7. Student Visas: Basic Requirements and Processes

B8. Student Visas: Application Processes, Specific Requirements

and Integrity Concerns

B9. Extension: Useful Information

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B1. Overview
In order to recruit for Australian Institutions, agents and counsellors must be aware of and comply with
relevant legislation. This Unit will consider:

 The ESOS Act and The National Code

 CRICOS Registration

 Student Visa Regulations

 Privacy legislation

Significant Changes in Visa Processes in 2016

There were significant changes to Visa processes in 2016 that simplified application processes for
students and targeted immigration integrity. International students apply for a single Student visa
(subclass 500) regardless of their chosen course of study. Student guardians will apply for the Student
Guardian visa (subclass 590). A single evidence level framework applies to all international students.
All students and student guardians will generally be required to lodge their visa application online by
creating an account in ImmiAccount. (see also B2.4)

Student visa applicants must have sufficient funds available for the duration of their stay in Australia
and should not rely on work to support themselves or family while in Australia.

All student visa (subclass 500) holders must maintain enrolment at the same level or a higher
Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level for which they were granted a visa, unless they are
undertaking a doctoral degree (AQF10) and transfer to a master’s degree (AQF9).

Transferring to a lower AQF level course or transferring from an AQF level course to a non-AQF Award
course is a breach of the student visa condition and might result in the visa being cancelled.

Check the Department of Home Affairs site or International Education site for updates and clarification.

140
B2. An Introduction to Regulations and
Legislation

Overview

International education in Australia is controlled by a number of Acts of Parliament and associated

regulations at both the Federal and the State level.

This lesson outlines how these operate and which government department is in charge of each.

Note that regulations often refer to education institutions as “the provider” or the “registered provider”.

Focus Questions

1. Why does Australia regulate its International Education Industry?

2. How is this regulation achieved?

3. What roles do the Federal and State Governments have?

4. How familiar are you with your Agent responsibilities?

B2.1 The ESOS Act

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 is the primary Australian legislation
regulating international education.

The ESOS Act regulates:

 the registration process obligations of registered providers

141
 The Tuition Protection Service; and

 enforcement and compliance powers.

There are 3 main objectives:

Objectives How this is achieved

1. To provide financial and tuition assurance to
overseas students, for courses that they have
paid for.
 Making sure that students receive the tuition
they have paid for. Also, if an educational
institution closes, a student is provided with
alternative tuition or be given a refund.
 Making sure that students have access to
nationally consistent arrangements to deal with
complaints or grievances

2. To protect and enhance Australia’s
reputation for quality education and training
services.
 Making sure that the education and training of
overseas students meets national standards.
 Making sure that student welfare services meet
national standards.
 Making sure the education providers in the
industry have integrity and act ethically.

3. To complement Australia’s migration laws  Making sure that education institutions do not
by ensuring providers collect and report allow or encourage students to breach their
information relevant to the administration of student visa conditions.
the law relating to student visas.

B2.2 The National Code of Practice 2018

For Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students to achieve
the intended purposes of the ESOS Act, the legislation provides a National Code of Practice.

The National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018
(National Code 2018) supports the National Strategy for International Education 2025 to advance
Australia as a global leader in education, training and research.

The National Code is a legislative instrument made under the Education Services for Overseas
Students Act 2000 and sets nationally consistent standards to support providers to deliver quality
education and training to overseas students.

How does The National Code relate to Agents?

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An agent’s behaviour is the direct responsibility of the education provider. So if you make a mistake or
behave dishonestly, the education provider will be held responsible for your actions. The National Code
2018 also requires that providers have a written agreement with all education agents they engage to
formally represent them. The agreement must contain corrective actions and termination conditions.

The National Code is arranged in two parts. Part A describes the framework of the ESOS Framework.
Part B contains the detailed Standards.

The links below provide fact sheets and summaries of the 11 National Code Standards.

Standard 1: Marketing information and practices

Standard 2: Recruitment of an overseas student

Standard 3: Formalisation of enrolment and written agreements

Standard 4: Education Agents

Standard 5: Younger overseas students

Standard 6: Overseas student support services

Standard 7: Overseas student transfers

Standard 8: Overseas student visa requirements

Standard 9: Deferring, suspending or cancelling the overseas student’s enrolment

Standard 10: Complaints and appeals

Standard 11: Additional requirements

B2.3 CRICOS
The ESOS Act also provides for a register of all educational institutions and courses that are offered to
international students in Australia. This register is called the Commonwealth Register of Institutions
and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Each institution and course is provided with a unique identifying number. These numbers are listed on
CRICOS, which is an online database and is available to everybody. The ESOS Act specifies the
information that CRICOS must record.

If an institution or course is not registered on CRICOS, it is NOT possible to apply for a student visa to
study in Australia in that institution or course.

As an Agent you are forbidden to make an offer to a student who seeks to obtain a student visa to
apply for a course that is not registered on CRICOS.

143
B2.4 The Migration Act 1958
The Migration Act 1958 and associated migration regulations are the national laws and regulations
that govern the issuing of Student, Tourist and other visas. This is the responsibility of the Department
of Home Affairs (DHA) which is a Federal government department.

What are the basic criteria for obtaining a student visa?

 The student intends to study a course that is registered on CRICOS;

 The student has a relevant electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for the course;
 The student must have the appropriate financial capacity to study in Australia;
 The student must have the appropriate academic background, including English language
proficiency to study in Australia;
 The student must demonstrate that they have adequate health insurance, no debts to the
Australian government and are of “good character”;
 If the student is under 18, some further requirements apply and

 The student is a genuine temporary entrant.

What other criteria may apply?

Other criteria may depend on the student’s country of origin and education sector they wish to study
in. The Department of Home Affairs assesses the risk that a student will breach their visa conditions.
The Simplified Student Visa framework (SSVF) came into effect on 1 July 2016. Its features include:

 international students apply for a single Student visa (subclass 500) regardless of their chosen
course of study
 student guardians apply for the Student Guardian visa (subclass 590)

 a single evidence level framework applies to all international students

All students and student guardians are generally required to lodge their visa application online by
creating an account in ImmiAccount.

Weightings and immigration risk indicators used to calculate the immigration risk of student visa
applications include:

 rate of visa cancellations (25% weighting)

 rate of refusals due to a fraud reason (40% weighting)

 rate of refusals (excluding fraud) (10% weighting)

 rate of student visa holders becoming unlawful non-citizens (15% weighting)

 rate of Subsequent Protection Visa applications (10% weighting)

If a provider and/or passport level are considered low risk, then it is possible to lodge a student visa
application without evidence of English and financial resources.

Student Visas, Tourist Visas and Working Holiday Visas

 Not all students who come to Australia to study apply for a student visa. It is possible for some
individuals to come to Australia on another type of visa, including a tourist visa which permits them

144
 to study for a maximum of three months and those on working holiday visas for a maximum of four
months. Persons wishing to study in Australia for longer than this should apply for a Student visa.

 Students studying Australian programs outside of Australia do not require a student visa.

Registered Migration Agents

The Migration Act states that in Australia, only a Registered Migration Agent (RMA) is allowed to
provide immigration assistance for individuals.

So, education agents working in Australia who are not RMAs need to be careful that they limit their
advice to their clients to basic explanations and translations of student visa information that is publicly
available on the DHA web site. They should not attempt a complex analysis of their clients’ migration
circumstances. This may be a breach of the National Code 2018, Standard 4.6.1.

B2.5 The Privacy Act 1988

The Privacy Act governs what information can be shared by institutions and agents about students.
This law protects the rights of individuals to have their personal details dealt with confidentially.

However, some circumstances can create confusion for overseas students and their parents. In
particular, for a student who is 18 or more years old: information that can be given to his/her parent is
limited if there is no written direction from the student.

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B3. The The ESOS Act

Overview

The Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the ESOS Act) is the legislation that covers the
provision of education and training to overseas students who come to Australia to study on a student
visa.

Under the ESOS Act, providers registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for
Overseas Students (CRICOS) are responsible for the actions of their agents in relation to:

 Providing marketing and student information; and

 Recruiting and placing of students; and

 act honestly and in good faith, and in the best interests of the student

So, you need a good understanding of the ESOS Act and the related National Code 2018. This also
means you should take clear instruction from the institutions you represent regarding the activities you
undertake on their behalf.

Focus Questions

1. According to the ESOS Act, how is an agent expected to behave?

2. How should an Agent not behave?

3. How are students protected if an institution closes?

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B3.1 Responsible Behaviour
An education agent who acts professionally gives student applicants accurate and current
information that is from trusted sources, such as government websites, and up-to-date advice from
education providers. It is better for your business and Australia’s education sector if a well-prepared
individual decides to study in Australia.

The ESOS Act describes how the education provider must behave in relation to the recruitment of
overseas students, including publishing a list of all its agents.

An Education Institution must not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct in connection with:

1. the recruitment of overseas students or intending overseas students; or

2. the provision of courses to overseas students.

It also describes the connection between the ESOS Act and the National Code inPart A, and (or)
Standard 4 of the National Code.

Education providers must take all reasonable measures to use education agents that have an
appropriate knowledge and understanding of the Australian international education industry and do
not use education agents who are dishonest or lack integrity.

The education provider must have a written agreement with education agents it engages to formally
represent it. ‘Formally’ covers situations where the agent promotes courses of the education provider
with the intention of recruiting students for the provider.

Providers are not required to have a written agreement with agents who act informally on behalf of a
single student or their parents.

However, an education provider must not accept students from an agent who is, or has been,
engaged in dishonest recruitment practices.

 The written agreement must specify the responsibilities of the education agent and the education
provider and the need to abide by the National Code 2018.
 The education provider ensures its education agents have up-to-date and accurate marketing
information.

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B3.2 Protection for International Students
Introduction

From time to time, an education institution may close suddenly. This could be due to a natural disaster
(such as a fire) or because of financial difficulties. If this happens, the consumer protection provisions
of the ESOS Act are there to support the student.

Under the ESOS Act, the provider has the primary obligation to provide a student with a refund; if a
course does not start when agreed, or ceases to be provided after it has commenced.

A refund may also be payable if a student withdraws from a course under the provider’s own refund
policy.

As an alternative to a refund the provider can place a student in an alternative course, at no additional
cost to the student, if the student agrees to this.

The Tuition Protection Service

The Tuition Protection Service (TPS) is an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international
students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study. The TPS ensures
that international students are able to either:

 complete their studies in another course or with another education provider or

 receive a refund of their unspent tuition fees.

The Tuition Protection Service is a mechanism to place students when a provider fails to meet its
obligations to provide the program (called a provider default).

Where there is a provider default, the provider must either refund affected students the unexpended
portion of their prepaid tuition fees, or to offer an alternative place which is accepted in writing by the
student.

The TPS gives students control and responsibility within the placement process by allowing students to
make a choice from available alternative placement options.

For example, if a College closes, and the provider is unable to provide the students with a refund or an
alternative course, students will be offered a place in the same or a similar course with other Colleges
in the same area. There will be no extra cost to the students and they will be able to complete their
studies.

Under the Tuition Protection Service (TPS) framework, all providers have a statutory obligation to report
to the TPS Director and the Secretary about provider and student defaults (when a student leaves the
institution).

The ESOS legislation details a limit of 50% in the amount of prepaid tuition fees a provider can demand
from a student before they commence their course (unless the course is 24 weeks or less when they
can require 100% of the fees to be paid). If they wish, students can choose to pay any amount of their
course fees in advance.

ESOS also requires providers not administered by a state authority or eligible to receive recurrent
Commonwealth funding (i.e. Private Providers) to keep any initial prepaid tuition fees in a designated
account before the student commences the course.

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What does an Agent need to do if a closure occurs?

If an institution closes, the Tuition Protection Service and Australian Government will work to ensure
that all students are placed in a suitable alternative course.

If students affected by the closure approach you, you should refer the students to the Tuition
Protection Service.

If your student is affected by the closure of their course/education provider and the student needs to
apply for a new student visa in order to continue their studies, they may be eligible for exemption from
paying the student visa application fee. If your student lives with a guardian who is on a Student
Guardian visa (subclass 580), this person may also be eligible for the exemption.

B3.3 Visitor, Working Holiday and Work &

Holiday Visas and Study
Individuals may study short education courses (usually English courses) on Visitor, Working Holiday or
Work & Holiday visas.

Visa Type Max. length of study Who can apply for this visa

Visitor 3 months Anyone

Working Holiday 4 months Only passport holders of Belgium, Canada, Republic

(subclass 417) of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, HKSAR*, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Sweden, Taiwan and United Kingdom

Work and Holiday 4 months Only passport holders of Argentina, Bangladesh,

(subclass 462) Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea,
Thailand, Turkey and the USA

*Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (includes British National
Overseas passport holders).

The ESOS Act does not cover students studying on these types of visa.

As the EATC learning material focuses on study in Australia on a student visa, further conditions for
applicants for these visas are not covered here. For more information on eligibility and obligations,
please refer to DHA’s website.

149
B4. The National Code of Practice

Overview

The National Code of Practice 2018

For Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students to achieve
the intended purposes of the ESOS Act, the legislation also provides a National Code of Practice. This
can be found at Part 4, Division 2 of the ESOS Act.

The National Code 2018 commenced on 1 January 2018. Education providers must comply with the
National Code to maintain their registration to provide education services to overseas students.

The Code covers the conduct of education providers delivering services to overseas students. It places
clear responsibilities on all educational providers and their agents. Summary documents of the Code
and its key requirements can be found here.

How does The National Code relate to Agents?

An agent’s behaviour is the direct responsibility of the education provider if there is an agreement with
that provider. So, if you make a mistake or behave dishonestly, the education provider will be held
responsible for your actions.

How is the National Code 2018 organised?

The National Code is composed of 11 Standards. Standard 4, in particular, sets out that registered
education providers must ensure that their education agents act ethically, honestly and in the best
interests of overseas students as well as uphold the reputation of Australia’s international education
sector. Registered providers need to enter and maintain details of education agents with whom they
have a written agreement in PRISMS.

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Focus Questions

1. What is the purpose of the National Code 2018?

2. What are the direct responsibilities of education agents?

3. What kind of course information needs to be accurate?

B4.1 National Code Standards

An agent needs to understand the standards that all education providers must follow.

The National Code 2018 comprises the following 11 Standards:

Standard 1 Marketing information and practices.

This standard sets out that registered providers must uphold the integrity and reputation of Australia’s
education industry by ensuring the marketing of their courses and services is not false or misleading.

Standard 2 Recruitment of an overseas student.

This standard sets out that registered providers must recruit responsibly by ensuring students are
appropriately qualified for the course for which they seek enrolment, including having the necessary
English language proficiency, educational qualifications and work experience. Students must have
sufficient information to enable them to make informed decisions about studying with their chosen
registered provider in Australia.

Standard 3 Formalisation of enrolment and written agreements.

This standard sets out that registered providers must formalise their enrolment of overseas students
through written agreements with overseas students. The written agreements protect the rights and set
out the responsibilities of each party, as well as the courses and related education services to be
provided, tuition and non-tuition fees payable, and refund policies.

Standard 4 Education agents.

This standard sets out that registered providers must ensure that their education agents act ethically,
honestly and in the best interests of overseas students as well as uphold the reputation of Australia’s
international education sector.

Standard 5 Younger overseas students.

This standard sets out that registered providers of overseas students aged under 18 must meet
legislative or other regulatory requirements relating to child welfare and protection. Registered
providers of overseas students aged under 18 must provide the students with emergency contact
information and information about how to report actual or alleged abuse. Where the registered
provider has taken on responsibility for the approval of welfare arrangements for a student who is
under 18 years of age (for the purposes of the Migration Regulations), the registered provider must
ensure the arrangements for the younger students are suitable, ongoing and appropriately managed
until the student turns 18 years of age.

Standard 6 Overseas student support services.

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This standard sets out that registered providers must assist overseas students to adjust to study and
life in Australia and have appropriate orientation programs that help overseas students to access the
information and services they require.

Standard 7 Overseas student transfers.

This standard sets out that registered providers must not knowingly enrol an overseas student wishing
to transfer from another registered provider’s course prior to the student completing six months of his
or her principal course (or for the school sector, until after the first six months of the first registered
school sector course), except in certain circumstances.

Standard 8 Overseas student visa requirements.

This standard sets out that registered providers must safeguard the integrity of Australia’s migration
laws by supporting overseas students to complete their course within the required duration and fulfil
their visa requirements for course attendance and course progress. Standard 8 sets flexible provisions
to allow online learning while maintaining appropriate standards for overseas students to comply with
student visa conditions.

Standard 9 Deferring, suspending or cancelling the overseas student’s enrolment.

This standard sets out that registered providers must appropriately manage the enrolment of their
overseas students and ensure all necessary information about enrolments has been provided to the
relevant government department by maintaining updated information in the Provider Registration and
International Student Management System (PRISMS) database.

Standard 10 Complaints and appeals.

This standard sets out that registered providers must ensure their overseas students have the right to
natural justice protected through access to professional, timely, inexpensive and documented
complaints handling and appeals processes.

Standard 11 Additional registration requirements.

This standard sets out that registered providers must continue to meet the requirements for CRICOS
registration and ensure the ESOS agency for the registered provider approves, and has up-to-date
information on, specific aspects of the registered provider’s operations and any registered courses.

B4.2 Responsibilities of Registered Providers

to Education Agents
The Australian Government’s risk assessment and management approach to the registration and
ongoing monitoring of CRICOS registered providers means stronger, more robust and more visible
compliance requirements. This is reflected in the National Code 2018.

Standard 4 has been strengthened so that conditions of written agreements and agent behaviour are
clearer, to ensure that an agent:

 does not engage in false or misleading conduct,

 declares and avoids conflicts of interest,

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 observes appropriate levels of confidentiality and transparency in dealing with students,
 acts honestly and in good faith.

 understands and meets the expectations of the Australian International Education and Training
Agent Code of Ethics. Ethical behavior is discussed in the Ethics (ETH) section of this course.

A registered provider is obliged to take corrective action, including terminate its relationship with an
agent, if it is aware of breaches of these principles.

Conflict of interest

Registered providers must require their education agents to avoid conflicts of interests.

Examples of conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to:

 when the agent charges services fees to both overseas students and registered providers for the
same service

 where an education agent has a financial interest in a private education provider;

 where an employee of an education agent has a personal relationship with an employee of the
education provider.

The National Code at 4.3 states that a registered provider must require its education agent to:

4.3.1 declare in writing and take reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interests with its duties as an
education agent of the registered provider.

Written agreements

Registered providers must have a written agreement with each education agent that formally
represents their education services, and enter and maintain the education agent’s details in PRISMS. If
an agent does not comply with the terms of the conditions, the provider must take corrective action.

Corrective action may include:

 providing additional information/material or targeted training in, for example, the expectations of
the provider

 refusal to accept any more students from the agent

 not allowing the agent to use PRISMS for them
 deciding not to work with the agent

 terminating the agreement with the education agent.

In 4.2 of the National Code 2018 states that the written agreement between a provider and their agents
must outline:

4.2.1 the responsibilities of the registered provider, including that the registered provider is responsible
at all times for compliance with the ESOS Act and National Code 2018

4.2.2 the registered provider’s requirements of the agent in representing the registered provider as
outlined in Standard 4.3

4.2.3 the registered provider’s processes for monitoring the activities of the education agent in
representing the provider, and ensuring the education agent is giving students accurate and

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up-to-date information on the registered provider’s services

4.2.4 the corrective action that may be taken by the registered provider if the education agent does
not comply with its obligations under the written agreement including providing for corrective action
outlined in Standard 4.4

4.2.5 the registered provider’s grounds for termination of the registered provider’s written agreement
with the education agent, including providing for termination in the circumstances outlined in
Standard 4.5

4.2.6 the circumstances under which information about the education agent may be disclosed by the
registered provider and the Commonwealth or state or territory agencies.

B4.3 Marketing and Agents

Standard 4 of the National Code 2018 states that that when marketing certain features of a course,
agents must describe them accurately. The provider is responsible for student recruitment and
placement activities, whether undertaken by the provider themselves or their agents.

Standard 4 of the National code states that:

4.5 Where the registered provider becomes aware, or has reason to believe, that the education agent
or an employee or subcontractor of the education agent is engaging in false or misleading
recruitment practices, the registered provider must immediately terminate its relationship with the
education agent, or require the education agent to terminate its relationship with the employee or
subcontractor who engaged in those practices.

The National code at 4.6 states that a registered provider must not accept students from an education
agent if it knows or reasonably suspects the education agent to be:

4.6.1 providing migration advice, unless that education agent is authorised to do so under the
Migration Act

4.6.2 engaged in, or to have previously engaged in, dishonest recruitment practices, including the
deliberate attempt to recruit a student where this clearly conflicts with the obligations of registered
providers under Standard 7 (Overseas student transfers)

4.6.3 facilitating the enrolment of a student who the education agent believes will not comply with the
conditions of his or her visa

4.6.4 using PRISMS to create CoEs for other than bona fide students.

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B5. CRICOS

Overview

CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. It is an
online register of all the courses and institutions that are available to students who wish to obtain a
student visa.

Institutions offering education or training services to students studying in Australia on student visas are
required to comply with the Federal legislative requirements for registration on the Commonwealth
Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Some students may study a short course on another type of visa (tourist or working holiday visa)
which permits them to study for a short period and may not be listed on CRICOS. Such students in
Australia on visas other than student visas are not covered under the ESOS Act.

Focus Questions

1. What is a CRICOS Provider Code and a CRICOS Course Code?

2. What important information can Agents obtain from CRICOS?

3. How can you search for information using CRICOS?

B5.1 CRICOS Provider Code

Each institution is given a unique CRICOS Provider Code on registration. This code identifies the
institution as a registered provider of education and training services to overseas students. Providers
are required by law to include their provider code in all marketing material. For example, an
institution’s website usually shows the code at the bottom of each web page.

Why is the CRICOS Provider Code important?

 It identifies the education institution as a registered provider of education and training to overseas
students.
 It clarifies who is legally responsible for provider obligations under the ESOS Act. This is important
both for students and agents.
 Where more than one provider is involved in the delivery of a course, only one provider is registered
on CRICOS to deliver the course. The CRICOS Code ensures clarity about who is responsible for any
obligation under the ESOS Act and the National Code 2007.

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 For example, a university may enter into an approved arrangement for a college to run one of its
courses on its behalf or a number of institutions may form a partnership to offer a particular
course. The registered provider will be responsible for all the obligations under the ESOS legislation.

B5.2 CRICOS Course Code

Each course has a unique Course Code. Some courses can be listed more than once with different
CRICOS numbers.

Some courses may seem to be the same but if they have different CRICOS Course Codes, the length of
the course, course cost, or the entrance requirements may be different.

Why do you need to be careful with Course Numbers?

It’s important that when you talk with a prospective student, you use the correct CRICOS Course Code.
This means you can be sure you are referring to the relevant course information.

B5.3 Course Search

In the previous section, you searched for a course using the CRICOS Course Code. In this section, you
will use slightly different search techniques.

For each of the following examples you should use the CRICOS Course Search.

Searching for a course and an institution that offers it

Example – You want to access information about Bachelor courses related to Health.

Select the following

1. Type of Course: Bachelor Degree

2. Field of Education (Broad Field): 06 – Health

3. Count Courses by Institution

4. Click on Start Search

You can now see a list of:

 Where the courses are offered and

 How many different courses are available at each institution.

Searching for a course and an institution that offers it by state/territory

Example – You want to access information about Bachelor courses related to Science in (A) but only
for the Northern Territory.

Follow the same steps in (A) but also select

1. Location: Northern Territory

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You can again see a list of

 Where the courses are offered

 How many different courses are available at each institution.

Searching for a type of course by state

Example – You want to access information about Nursing courses in South Australia.

Select the following

i. State: South Australia

ii. Field of Education (Broad field): 06 – Health

iii. Field of Education (Narrow field): 0603 – Nursing

iv. Count Courses by Institution

v. Click on Start Search

You can now see a list of

 Where the courses are offered and

 How many different courses are available at each institution.

B5.4 Institution Search

You can also search for an institution on CRICOS.

For each of the following examples you should use the CRICOS Institution Search.

(A) Searching for an institution by state

Example – You want to find the providers that are available in Queensland and have ‘Business’ in their
name.

Select the following

1. Institution Location: Queensland

2. Institution Name: busi
3. Click on Start Search

You can now see a list of

 several different institutions

(B) Searching for an institution and the courses it offers

Example – You want to find the providers that are available in Tasmania and have ‘University’ in their
name.

Select the following

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 a. Institution Location: Tasmania
b. Institution Name: univ

c. Click on Start Search

You can now see

 Institution details for University of Tasmania (UTas) [00586B]. Unlike Example A, there is no results
page as only one institution fulfils the search criteria.
 Click on the List of Courses Offered by the Institution tab to obtain a list of courses available.

B5.5 Information Provided by CRICOS

In this lesson you will become more familiar with institution and course information provided on the
CRICOS website. The information is available to the public, no registration is required.

B6. PRISMS

Overview

PRISMS is the Provider Registration and International Student Management System which is a web-
based database.

PRISMS produces and tracks all Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) documents that are produced for
international students studying in Australia on a student visa. These CoEs are necessary for the issuing
of student visas.

CRICOS is also contained within the PRISMS database. CRICOS records all of the registered courses for
each provider that is registered to provide education to an overseas student studying in Australia on a
student visa.

Students on another type of visa other than a Student visa do not require a CoE therefore they do not
require a recording in PRISMS.

Focus Questions

1. Can an agent access PRISMS?

2. What information does PRISMS contain?

3. How does DHA depend on PRISMS?

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B6.1 Access to PRISMS
PRISMS is a secure web site and requires a login identifier and password. This differs from CRICOS,
which is a publicly accessible database.

PRISMS is used by education providers more than agents. However, a provider may give its agent(s)
the authority to create CoEs.

The Principal Executive Officer (PEO) or an authorised delegate of the provider can allow an agent to
access PRISMS for that provider’s courses. The agent can then create a CoE or advise on course
information. The PEO is also listed on CRICOS for each provider.

If the agent creates a CoE, then

1. (s)he can enter relevant information into the CoE form;

2. a member of the provider’s staff will then authorise the CoE.

Education providers use PRISMS to communicate information about their international students to the
Department of Home Affairs. This is done for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining a valid student
visa.

B6.2 What is a CoE?

An CoE is a Confirmation of Enrolment. This is a web-based document created by PRISMS that records
which course or courses a student is enrolled in.

If a student intends to study more than one course, more than one CoE is produced. This allows the
student to get a student visa for the combined length of all the courses. This is often referred to as a
‘Package’ visa.

Producing a CoE

These are the steps that are followed:

1. The provider agrees to enrol the student.

2. The provider authorises and prints a copy of the CoE and provides it to the student and/or agent.

3. The information on the CoE is transmitted to DHA via PRISMS.

4. When the student applies for a student visa, DHA matches and approves the CoE details.

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B6.3 What Does a CoE Look Like?
1. A CoE has 4 parts; below is a list of some of its main features. Click here to view an example CoE.

Part A – Information for overseas students: where to apply for the student visa

Part B – Course details: such as CRICOS code of the provider and the course, course start and finish
date or course fee

Part C – Student details

Part D – Notes: relating the CoE

B6.4 Reporting Students Using PRISMS

Education agent counsellors are not permitted to create a Student Course Variation (SCV) so this
section is for your information only.

Students are not reported if:

 They follow the same pathway that they originally intended;

 The details on their eCoE do not need to be changed in any way.

If any changes are necessary, the institution uses PRISMS to produce a Student Course Variation
(SCV).

Reporting for Changes in Details

Generally, the following events require an educational provider to use PRISMS to report to the student
to DHA:

 The student does not begin the course;

 The student finishes the course before the date on the CoE;
 The student leaves the provider;

In these cases, the provider would report on the student using the appropriate SCV code and create
new CoEs as required. Depending on the circumstances, the student may or may not need to be
directly involved.

Students wishing to change provider do not need to approach DIPB unless they are changing the
sector of the principal course of study.

Reporting for non-compliance of Student Visa Conditions

There are two reasons why an educational provider uses PRISMS to report students to DHA for non-
compliance:

 Non attendance in classes

 Unsatisfactory academic performance.

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For these two reasons, the student is breaching the conditions of their student visa, so:

 During the reporting process, PRISMS generates a formal letter that is sent to the student. This letter
asks them to explain their circumstances to DHA.
 The letter states that the student has 28 days to make an appointment at a DHA office.

 If the student does not make an appointment, then his/her visa may be cancelled.

Current postal address

If the student has not provided the institution with a current postal address, the formal letter may not
reach the student. Consequently, the student may not realise that an appointment is necessary. In this
situation:

 the student visa is still cancelled, because it is the student’s responsibility to ensure the provider
has their current postal address.

A valid reason for non-compliance

The student may have a valid reason for the non-compliance. For example, the student was sick (the
student also needs to have medical certificates to prove this). After the interview with the student, DHA
may decide not to cancel the visa.

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B7. Student Visas: Basic Requirements and
Processes

Overview

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) requires a number of criteria to be met to provide a Student
visa:

 The student must be accepted into full-time study

 The student must be a genuine temporary entrant
 The student must meet health and health insurance requirements

 The student must be of the appropriate age

 The student must have a “good” character and not have any debts to the Australian Government

In addition, if higher risk criteria apply:

 The student must provide specified evidence to meet financial requirements

 The student must demonstrate appropriate English language skills

Furthermore, if the student is under 18 years of age, they must have acceptable arrangements for their
accommodation and welfare.

In this section, you’ll learn how these criteria are defined and applied.

The information in these sections apply to persons whose primary intention in coming to Australia is to
study, and intend to study for more than 12 weeks. Students who wish to study a short course may be
able to do so on other visa classes (e.g. a tourist visa allows study for up to three months). Applicants
can use this Visa Finder.

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Focus Questions

 What requirements do students need to meet to obtain a student visa?

 Why does DHA use a risk-based analysis?

 What is the relationship between a principal course, and the duration of a visa?
 How does streamlined evidentiary requirements differ from regular evidentiary requirements?

B7.1 Criteria Applied to all Student

Applications
Full Time Study

Only students who have enrolled in full-time study can apply for a Student visa, with the exception of
Doctoral (PhD) students waiting for their thesis to be marked.

Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)

The key integrity measure the Department of Home Affairs makes in granting a Student visa is whether
the applicant is a genuine temporary entrant. That is, are they coming to Australia for genuine study
purposes and have a realistic prospect of returning home once their studies have finished. DHA takes a
balanced approach and will weigh up all the factors before making a decision.

Some factors that the department considers as part of the GTE requirement include:

 the circumstances in the applicant’s home country

 the applicant’s potential circumstances in Australia

 the applicant’s immigration history

 the value of the course to the applicant’s future

 any other matter relevant to the applicant’s intention to stay temporarily

Examples of how a student might be considered not to be a Genuine Temporary Entrant are:

GTE Considerations Examples

Circumstances in the applicant’s Any matter, such as economic downturn , relevant to the
home country applicant’s intention to stay temporarily

The applicant’s potential The student has been in Australia for extensive periods of
circumstances in Australia time, either without having successfully completed a
qualification, or has moved education providers on numerous
occasions.

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 The applicant’s immigration history The student has had previous visa applications refused or
visas cancelled.

The value of the course to the The student is applying for a course that is not related to their
applicant’s future career choice or previous qualifications

Any other matter that may be The student cannot explain how an Australian qualification
relevant will benefit them in the future

Good Character

The student must make a declaration on the visa application form that includes but is not limited to
the following:

 they have not been involved in criminal activity, or

 they have not been previously deported.

See more detail here.

Health Requirement

The health of overseas students studying in Australia is important and protects the Australian
community from public health and safety risks, particularly active tuberculosis.

To meet the health requirement, a student must be free from a disease or condition that is:

 considered to be a threat to public health or a danger to the Australian community

 likely to result in significant health care and community service costs to the Australian community

 likely to require health care and community services that would limit the access of Australian
citizens and permanent residents to those services already in short supply.

See details here.

Health Examinations

A student may be required to undergo health examinations as part of the visa application process
process, check the Health Examinations information on the DHA website. There are specific
requirements for arranging a health examination. An online system known as eMedical processes
health examinations results electronically and these are forwarded to DHA for assessment. If your
student does require a medical examination outside of Australia, they must contact an Australian
panel doctor in their country. A list of doctors is available from Immigration Panel Doctors.

Risk of Tuberculosis (TB)

The following table shows how the risk of Tuberculosis (TB) in different countries impacts on the
likelihood of the necessity of a medical examination. DHA may decide to request a health assessment
regardless of the risk assessment detailed for TB below.

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 Country TB Risk Level Student to stay in Australia Student to stay in Australia more than 6
less than 6 months months

Low Risk No health examination No health examination normally required

normally required

High Risk No health examination Medical examination requiredChest X-ray

normally required required (if over 11years old)

Low Risk Countries (others considered High risk)

 Albania
 American Samoa
 Andorra

 Antigua and Barbuda

 Argentina

 Aruba
 Australia
 Austria

 Bahamas
 Bahrain

 Barbados
 Belgium
 Belize

 Bermuda
 Bonaire

 Bouvet Island
 Bulgaria
 Canada

 Cayman Islands
 Chile

 Christmas Island
 Cocos (Keeling) Islands
 Cook Islands

 Costa Rica
 Croatia

 Cuba
 Curacao

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 Cyprus

 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Dominica

 Egypt
 Estonia

 Falkland Islands
 Faroe Islands
 Finland

 France
 French Polynesia

 FYR Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

 Germany
 Gibraltar

 Greece
 Grenada
 Guadeloupe

 Heard and McDonald Islands

 Hungary

 Iceland
 Iran
 Ireland

 Israel
 Italy

 Jamaica
 Japan
 Jordan

 Kosovo
 Kuwait

 Lebanon
 Liechtenstein
 Luxembourg

 Malta
 Mauritius

 Mexico
 Monaco
 Montenegro

 Montserrat

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 Netherlands
 Netherlands Antilles
 New Caledonia

 New Zealand
 Niue

 Norfolk Island
 Norway
 Oman

 Palestinian Authority
 Pitcairn Island

 Poland
 Portugal
 Puerto Rico

 Reunion Island
 Saint Eustatius & Saba
 Saint Helena (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha)

 Saint Kitts and Nevis

 Saint Lucia

 Saint Martin (Dutch)

 Samoa
 San Marino

 Saudi Arabia
 Serbia

 Seychelles
 Slovakia
 Slovenia

 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

 Spain

 Svalbard & Jan Mayen

 Sweden
 Switzerland

 Tokelau
 Tonga

 Trinidad and Tobago

 Tunisia
 Turkey

 Turks and Caicos Islands

 United Arab Emirates

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 United Kingdom (British citizen)
 United States of America

 Uruguay
 Vatican City

 Virgin Islands (British)

 Virgin Islands (US)
 Wallis and Fortuna Islands

Health Insurance

Adequate health insurance is a mandatory visa condition. DHA requires evidence of Overseas Student
Health Cover (OSHC) to demonstrate that the student is adequately insured. There are some
exceptions (for example, students from Norway, Belgium or Sweden who have acceptable health cover
from their home country).

Often, the education provider will include the option to pay for health insurance in the enrolment fees
and a CoE will indicate that the student has OSHC arranged. Students will need to provide details of
their OSHC policy in their visa application. International students have the right to choose their OSHC
provider, although their education provider may make specific recommendations to applicants
because they have negotiated an arrangement with a particular insurer.

If the cost of health insurance is not included in enrolment fees, the student will need to obtain OSHC
insurance and provide OSHC policy details in the application.

A student (and any accompanying family members) must have OSHC for proposed duration of their
student visa. e.g. they must have OSHC taken out for the entire period from the date they arrive in
Australia on their student visa to the expiry date of their student visa.

Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) holders can obtain Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) that
provides a similar level of cover.

DHA have further information on their website here and the Department of Health here.

No debts to the Australian Government

The student must not owe money to Australia, or have agreed repayment plans in place. A declaration
on the application form will normally satisfy this requirement.

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B7.2 Evidentiary Framework and Student Visa
Processing
Overview

All student visa applications follow a similar process, with students providing information in an online
form to DHA which is then assessed in accordance with established guidelines. Experience has
demonstrated that in the aggregate, applications from different countries and for different education
providers, indicate different rates of student fraud and other visa cancellation events.

The Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) provides the evidentiary requirements for each student
application on the basis of a combination of the rating of the student’s country of citizenship and the
rating of the provider with which they will undertake their principal course of study.

These ratings are updated each 6 month period on the basis of:

 Rate of visa cancellations

 Rate of visa refusal due to fraud

 Rate of visa refusal not due to fraud
 Rate of student visa holder becoming unlawful (overstaying their time in Australia)

 Rate of student visa holders applying for a Protection visa

Applications with regular evidentiary requirements are required to provide evidence of English
proficiency and financial capacity with their applications, while those classed as streamlined are
generally able to satisfy the Department of their financial capacity by a declaration and are not
generally required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency. However, DHA retains the
discretion to seek further evidence where appropriate.

Applicants who provide all requested documentation with their visa application are generally
processed quicker.

Note that a student’s nationality is determined by:

 the nationality that is recorded in the student’s passport at the date of the application;

 not where the student lives;

 not where the student applies for the student visa.

Evidentiary Framework and Evidence Levels

The SSVF ‘evidentiary framework’ is based on student immigration outcomes over a period of time. It
serves only to guide whether a Student visa applicant is subject to streamlined (S) or regular (R)
evidentiary requirements. Ratings are calculated using a weighted average based on the total
numbers of international students (applicants and holders of Student visas) that have a Confirmation
of Enrolment (CoE) to study a course from the education provider.

The following weightings and indicators are used to calculate the evidence level of each education
provider and country:

Rate of visa cancellations (25% weighting)

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The proportion of cases, once a student has been provided a visa which was then cancelled due to:

 non-genuineness
 fraud

 breaches of visa condition 8202 (i.e. maintaining enrolment, attendance and course progress)
 breaches of work condition 8105 (i.e. cannot work more than 40 hours per fortnight when course is
in session)
 breaches of other visa conditions

NOTE: There are temporary 8104 and 8105 visa conditions that allow students to work more than 40
hours per fortnight, and similar allowances for family members. See here and here.

Student visa cancellations where the student personally requests visa cancellation are not included.
For example, a student who has ceased study and returned home may request visa cancellation.

Rate of refusals due to a fraud reason where the applicant lodged overseas (40% weighting)

The proportion of students who were refused a visa at the application stage due to fraud. If a visa is
refused because of fraud, this measure will apply regardless of whether or not any other refusal reason
exists.

Rate of refusals (excluding fraud) where the applicant lodged overseas (10% weighting)

The proportion of how many students were refused a visa at the application stage due to reasons
other than fraud. That is, one of the legal requirements for the grant of the visa was not met and no
fraud was detected. For example, not meeting the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE), health or other
requirements.

Rate of student visa holders becoming unlawful non-citizens (15% weighting)

The number of students that have overstayed their student visa for more than 28 days. Students who
have been unlawful and resolve their immigration status within 28 days are not counted. These figures
represent those visa holders who did not contact the Department to arrange a Bridging visa or another
visa and overstayed their visa for more than 28 days.

Rate of Subsequent Protection Visa applications (10% weighting)

The proportion of students who applied for a Protection Visa (PV) where the last visa held by them was
a Student visa.

Evidence Level Allocation

Evidence level ratings are allocated to each education provider and country as follows:

Index (Weighted average of all indicators) Evidence level rating

Below 1.0 One

Between 1.0 and 2.70 Two

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 Above 2.70 Three

An education provider is linked to its students by the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) held at the time
the Student visa application was decided. This means that if a Student transfers to another education
provider, their Student visa (and any behaviour linked to evidence level ratings) will continue to be
linked to the original education provider specified on the CoE. This will continue until the student is
granted a further visa.

In cases where there are only a small number of students, statistical calculations of evidence level are
unreliable. Such ‘small’ providers (or countries) are those who have less than 50 active students
studying on a principal course at any one time during the previous 12 months.

Small providers are given a default rating of Two.

Countries who supply less than 50 students are given a default rating of Three.

These ratings are updated each 6 months from the historical data generated during the previous 12
month period. DHA do not publicise the actual evidence level rating of any country or provider, it is
expressed through the interaction of the two ratings as described in the model below.

Evidence Level Model

The following table provides an overview of the students that receive streamlined evidentiary
requirements under the SSVF.

Eligibility for streamlined evidentiary requirements is determined on the combined evidence level
rating of the student’s country and citizenship and intended education provider.

In the table S refers to streamlined evidentiary requirements while R refers to regular evidentiary
requirements. Where regular evidentiary requirements apply the student will generally be required to
provide evidence of their financial and English language capacity with their visa application.

 The majority of students (more than 80%) will be eligible for streamlined arrangements.
 DHA reserve the right to ask any student who might be eligible for streamlined arrangements to
demonstrate their ability to meet the regular criteria.

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B7.3 Streamlined and Regular Evidentiary
Requirements
Streamlined Evidentiary Requirements

Under the SSVF, students associated with the lowest evidentiary rating will have streamlined
evidentiary requirements and generally these students will be able to satisfy the Department of their
financial capacity by providing a declaration with their visa application and their English proficiency by
a Confirmation of Enrolment from their education provider.

The Genuine Temporary Entry (GTE) requirement remains the key measure that determines if a student
is eligible for the grant of the visa.

While evidence of finance and English is not required with the visa application, DHA retains the right to
ask for financial evidence from any student if there is specific intelligence that suggests there may be
a problem with the financial capacity of the student.

Regular Evidentiary Requirements

Regular applications require a student to present two extra pieces of evidence with their visa
application: financial capacity and English language proficiency evidence.

Evidence of Financial Capacity

Genuine Access Requirement

All funds that can be accepted as evidence must be clearly available to the student in order to pay for
their studies and living costs. The factors that may be considered include:

 The relationship of the sponsor (e.g. a parent or guardian’s funds are appropriate, but “family
friends” bank accounts are not normally acceptable)
 Income, assets and employment history of sponsor/parent

 Previous visa history of the student (e.g. have they have had difficulties in the past)

Students cannot rely on their ability to earn money through work in Australia as evidence of having
funds.

The following are sources of evidence of financial capacity:

 money deposit with a financial institution (bank)

 loan with a financial institution (bank)
 government loans

 scholarship

There are three options to provide financial evidence.

Option 1: 12 months living expenses

Show evidence of funds for travel costs plus 12 months of living and tuition costs. One year’s living
expenses are designated as:

 Student: AUD$20,290

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 Spouse or de-facto partner: AUD$7,100
 Any dependant children: AUD$3,040

NOTE: Estimated expenses change regularly. Click here for a reliable calculator of up to date expenses.

If a student has dependants, they need to show access to relevant funds for the accompanying family
unit (spouse and/or children).

Each school-age child requires AUD $8,000 for each year of schooling they will require (unless they
have been provided with an exemption from a Government High School).

Option 2: Annual income of parents

Show evidence that the annual income of the student’s parents (combined if necessary) or spouse
exceeds AUD$60,000 per year. If one or more members of the applicant’s family unit are seeking to
satisfy the secondary criteria for the Student visa, they will need to demonstrate an income of
AUD$70,000 per year.

This information must be provided on Government documentation (such as a tax return) which less
than 12 months old.

Option 3: Secondary exchange students only

Show a completed Acceptable Advice for Secondary Exchange Student (AASES) Form

English Language Proficiency Requirements

DHA have designated certain English proficiency tests as acceptable and prescribe minimum
standards.

Acceptable Test Scores

Test Type Minimum Score Minimum Score Minimum Score

where combined with where combined with
10 weeks ELICOS 20 weeks ELICOS

International English 5.5 5 4.5

Language Testing
System (IELTS test)

Test of English as a 527 500 450

Foreign Language
(TOEFL) Paper-Based
test

TOEFL internet-based 46 35 32
test (also known as
TOEFL iBT)

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 Cambridge English: 162 154 147
Advanced (CAE) test
(also known as
Certificate in Advanced
English)

Pearson Test of English 42 36 30

Academic (PTE)

Occupational English Pass – –

Test (OET) English test:
Minimum test score:

Exemptions

There are exemptions for this requirement to present an English test score for the following students:

1. ELICOS, Schools, Secondary Exchange and Postgraduate Research Students

2. Students who have successfully completed, in the two years prior to student visa application, the
requirements for a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education, in a course that was conducted in
Australia in English; or

Students who have successfully completed, in the two years prior to student visa application, a
substantial component of a course leading to a qualification from the Australian Qualifications
Framework at the Certificate IV level or higher that was conducted in Australia in English while the
applicant was holding a student visa.

3. Foreign Affairs and Defence sponsored students

4. Students who are citizens of, and hold a valid passport issued by:

 United Kingdom
 United States of America

 New Zealand
 Canada
 Ireland

5. Study of more than five years in English in one or more of the following countries:

 Australia
 United Kingdom
 United States of America

 New Zealand
 Canada

 Ireland

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 South Africa

B7.4 Packaging Arrangements and Visa

Duration
Packaging Offer Letters and The Principal Course

In many cases, a student comes to Australia with the intention of studying more than one course.
Where the student intends to package courses to combine their preliminary course of study with their
main course of study, the education provider evidentiary requirements rating applied to the Student
visa application would correspond to the student’s main course of study (or principal course).

The principal course is the course that the student intends to undertake in Australia at the highest
level. For example, a student may intend to study 3 courses in this order from lowest to highest level:

1. An ELICOS program, then

2. A foundation program, then

3. An undergraduate program (the principal course).

If that student has a package of courses that provides clear course progression to the undergraduate
degree, then the rating that corresponds to the provider of the undergraduate program will be applied
in the visa process.

DHA will only recognise a package of offers if the student has a CoE (for applications made outside
Australia) or a letter of offer (for applications made in Australia, noting a CoE will be needed before the
visa can be granted) of a place into all the courses, including the highest-level course from the
education institution(s). It is not enough that the student intends to continue to study at a higher level
than the first course they undertake but does not have a CoE for the higher level course.

A letter of offer for a course can be conditional on the student successfully completing a previous
course. In the above example, the student may have to successfully complete the foundation program
before continuing to the undergraduate program.

A package of courses must also increase in level across the Australian Qualifications Framework
(AQF). For example, a student cannot study a course of a lower level after one of a higher level.

Visa Duration

The duration of a Student Visa generally depends on the dates of study detailed in the CoEs that are
submitted with the application. In general, the visa granted will cover the full length of every CoE that is
in a sequence or package, if the evidences provided satisfy the visa requirements. The following table
shows the general guidelines used:

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 Duration of Course Duration of Visa

10 months or less Student Visa normally granted for one month

longer than the end date of the principal course

Longer than 10 months Student Visa normally granted for two months
longer than the end date of the principal course,
if it ends before November. If the course ends in
November or December, the visa will normally
cease on 15 March of the following year (about
three months after)

B8. Student Visas: Application Processes,

Specific Requirements and Integrity
Concerns

Overview

This section considers the processes and online tools available to help students and their agents
successfully submit visa applications.

It outlines the specific requirements and criteria that exist for primary and secondary students, and the
welfare arrangements that relate to visa conditions.

Finally, it provides some examples of the type of concerns that the Department of Immigration and
Border Protection identify when assessing student visa applications.

Focus Questions

 How do I submit a student’s application for a visa?

 What living arrangements are permissible for a student who is under 18?

 Are there any special requirements applied to school-age students?

 What ways do some student applications fail due to concerns with integrity?

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B8.1 The Student Visa Application Process

Check Required Evidence using the Document Checklist Tool

This tool provides a guide as to the documents that a student should provide with their student visa
application. The student (or agent) enters both the student’s country of citizenship and the education
provider they will be studying their principal program with. The evidence requirements will be
displayed.

The tool will not identify whether an application is streamlined or regular, it will provide guidance as to
what documents need to be provided with the application, noting that DHA can request additional
information where necessary.

See the link here.

Lodging An Application via immiAccount

All agents should create an online account “immiAccount” which will enable them to lodge
applications on behalf of their students through the online form 157A (Internet). Link to immiAccount.

Log-in to immiAccount and an agent can submit an application for a student visa as follows:

Step 1: Select My applications tab

Step 2: Click New Application

The New application page displays.

Step 3: From the applicable Application group click the icon to display the types of applications
available.

Step 4: From the Application type list, select the applicable application type.

Step 5: Click Expand all to display all applications in all the Application groups. Click Collapse all to
close all Application groups.

The Application for a Student Visa Terms and Conditions window displays for the visa you have
selected.

To read the terms and conditions of the application, follow the View Terms and Conditions link.

Step 6: Select the I have read and agree to the terms and conditions checkbox. to confirm you have
read and agree to the Terms and Conditions

Step 7: Click Next.

A list of questions relating to the application displays.

Answer each question, then click Next.

Repeat this process until all the questions have been answered.

Once you have completed and reviewed your application, the Application for a Student Visa page
displays.

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Your application will not be processed until you pay the application fee. You can save the application
and come back later with payment details.

Step 8: If you choose this option, click Go to my account.

You have completed the process as far as you can at this stage and do not need to complete the rest
of the steps in this guide.

Alternatively, you can make the visa application payment now. If you choose this option, proceed to
the next step in this guide.

Step 9: Click Submit Now.

The Make a payment window displays.

Step 10: Enter the payment details then click Submit.

The Confirm payment by debit/credit card dialog box displays.

Step 11: Click Submit

The payment is confirmed and the Debit/credit card payment confirmation page displays.

Step 12: Click Next

The window displays a summary of the application.

Step 13. Click Go to my account

The My applications summary window displays. The status of the application has been updated.

Points to Note

1. International students outside Australia must be enrolled in a registered course of study and
provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when they lodge their Student visa application.
2. Students in Australia may still apply with a letter of offer or a CoE but must obtain a CoE to be
granted the visa.
3. Students must apply using the online form 157A (internet). Where an applicant encounters a
technical difficulty, they will be able to lodge an online technical support form.
4. All students complete the same form. Students are asked to enter information about their financial
and English proficiency regardless of whether they have streamlined or regular evidentiary
requirements. While some questions are non-mandatory for streamlined students, it may make the
application process quicker in some cases for the student to provide any English proficiency
information to support the student’s GTE assessment.

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B8.2 Requirements for Students Under 18
Under Australian law, an individual under 18 is not yet an adult. So certain requirements apply to these
students. The student must provide evidence of adequate welfare arrangements for the duration of
their visa, or until they turn 18, to make a valid visa application.

The student must show they have adequate welfare arrangements in one of the following ways:

 live in Australia with a parent or legal custodian (applicant must complete Form 157N to nominate
a Student Guardian).
 live in Australia with a relative who is a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) holder (guardian
must apply for this visa and complete Form 157N) or holding other valid visa in Australia. The
relative must be over 21 years of age with good character and be nominated by the parents or
custodians.
 the student’s education provider will provide for their general welfare and accommodation
(provider will issue a Confirmation of Adequate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter.
 A secondary exchange student must provide their AASES form.

If the student will be living with a relative (but not the parent), the nominated relative must:

 be a brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, step-
grandparent, step-aunt, step-uncle, step-niece or step-nephew

 be aged over 21 years

 have the right to remain in Australia until the visa expires or the student turns 18 years-of-age
(whichever happens first)
 and have a police clearance check.

The student’s parents or custodian need to prove that the nominated relative meets these criteria.

The student’s parent or custodian must complete Form 1229 – Consent to grant an Australian visa to a
child under the age of 18 years.

Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW)

If a younger student is not living with a parent or suitable relative, the education provider must sign a
Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter approving the student’s
general welfare and accommodation arrangements before the student visa can be issued. The
provider must nominate two dates:

1. when the provider has elected to begin taking responsibility for the student’s welfare, and

2. when the provider will cease to take responsibility for approving the welfare arrangements for that
student.

If a student’s welfare arrangements are approved by education provider students must not travel to
Australia until the welfare arrangements are due to commence. Dates are nominated by the provider
not the student.

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B8.3 Specific Requirements in Particular
Cases
School Sector

Age Requirements

There are age limits set for international students intending to study in the School sector.

These are the age requirements that apply:

 A primary school student must be at least 6 years of age.

Secondary students must:

 be less than 17 years old when commencing the Academic year Grade 9

 be less than 18 years old when commencing the Academic year Grade 10
 be less than 19 years old when commencing the Academic year Grade 11
 be less than 20 years old when commencing the Academic year Grade 12

Visa Grant period

A primary school student will only be granted a visa for a maximum period of two years. This
requirement will assist to manage the welfare and immigration risks association with younger
students. Note: If a student enrols mid-year, the visa will be granted for a maximum of two and a half
years.

Further, a student intending to study in Australia from primary school and through secondary school
will not meet the GTE requirement. This is because integration into their home country will be unlikely
after completing their formative education in Australia.

This does not prevent a student from applying for a further visa for two years after completing two
years of primary school, however GTE will be closely assessed.

Secondary exchange students

Secondary exchange students have an option of providing a completed AASES form as meeting their
financial evidence and welfare arrangements requirement.

School students are exempt from providing evidence of English language proficiency.

Other Matters

ELICOS Courses

There is no limitation on the maximum duration of ELICOS study that may be undertaken. Genuine
students will be able to undertake as much ELICOS study as either a standalone course or prior to their
principal course, as required.

Family Members

Students have to declare all family members on their visa application, if not, these family members
won’t be able to travel to Australia to visit at a later stage.

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DHA require the financial details for the subsequent entry of family members. Not only for the person
applying for the visa, but also including sufficient funds to cover their whole family unit in Australia. E.g.
If my wife is on a Student visa in Australia and I apply to join her, DHA will look at the combined
financial capacity for both my wife and my living expenses and also her course fees as well.

Guardian Visas (Subclass 590)

The Student Guardian visa (Subcless 590) is for foreign nationals applying to stay in Australia as the
guardian of an under 18 student.The student must not remain in Australia when their guardian is not in
Australia unless there is an alternative welfare arrangement in place. In some special circumstances,
guardian visas can be obtained to look after students who are over 18 years old.

All applicants for a Student Guardian visa must have sufficient funds to support themselves, the
nominating student(s) and any secondary applicants for the duration of their intended stay in
Australia.

Under the SSVF, the single immigration risk framework will not apply to Student Guardian visa
applicants. Rather, all guardians must provide evidence of their financial capacity with their visa
application.

Evidence of financial capacity can be provided in either of the following forms:

 Evidence of annual income of $70,000 or more; or

 Evidence of sufficient funds to cover travel costs, and the first 12 months living costs for themselves
and each dependent child included in the application.

Subsequent applications by family members of guardians will not be accepted. Guardians wishing to
bring additional family members under six years of age to Australia must apply for a new Student
Guardian visa for themselves and these students.

B8.4 Examples of Integrity Concerns for DHA

The examples below demonstrate the concerns that have been identified in some circumstances
when processing Student visas.

1. English language skills

A visa applicant, who did not have the English language skills to meet the visa requirements, arranged
for an impostor to sit the English language test on their behalf. DHA identified this fraud through (a) a
facial comparison of the photo on the test results with another photo of the applicant; (b) an interview
with the applicant which indicated a low level of English proficiency and (c) verification of the
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score online. While DHA has processes in place
to detect and take action against English test fraud, education providers normally check off test results
using the online verification tools available from the test providers.

2. Genuine student/temporary entrant

A DHA case officer had to consider a Student visa application concerning an applicant from a country
with high unemployment, who had strong family ties to Australia and who had not studied for a
significant period of time. The case officer requested an interview with the applicant to obtain further

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information. At the interview, the applicant was unable to explain why he had chosen his proposed
course and provider and how the course would benefit him. Given the applicant’s low employment
prospects in his country of origin, strong ties to Australia and the applicant’s inability to provide basic
information regarding his proposed course of study, the application was refused.

3. Family background and financial support

A DHA case officer received an application in which the student’s parents claimed to be in high-paying
jobs in a reputable industry. The case officer requested an integrity check on the application as these
claims were uncommon in the region from which the visa applicant came. The officer was able to
identify that the student’s parents did not have sufficient funds to contribute towards the student’s
expenses. The application was refused as the case officer was not satisfied the applicant had
sufficient funds to support himself in his studies onshore and, therefore, was not planning to come to
Australia with the genuine intention to study.

4. Document fraud

An overseas post identified an offshore website which claimed to be selling high quality forgeries of
academic transcripts for use in migration applications. In these cases, DHA officers are briefed on the
basic characteristics of the forged documents and arrangements are put in place to verify
qualifications with the issuing education providers.

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B9. Student Visas: Visa Conditions and
Student Responsibilities

Overview

When students come to Australia, they need to understand the conditions and obligations of their
Student visa.

To advise students correctly, you need to be aware of:

 The conditions that a Student visa may contain;

 The responsibilities that students have to comply with whilst they are studying;
 Other related issues such as working, travelling and staying in Australia after a course finishes.

You should study these lessons along with the information from DHA regarding Studying in Australia
here.

Focus Questions

 What do visa conditions mean?

 What are the requirements of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)?

 How do the roles and responsibilities of education agents in Australia differ from those for
Registered Migration Agents (RMAs)?

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B9.1 Visa Conditions
When a student is issued with a student visa, there are conditions attached to it. These visa conditions
are often expressed as numbers.

NOTE: Australian authorities do not require students to have a visa label in their passport. VEVO is a
free online facility that allows Australian visa holders, employers, education providers, financial
institutions and government agencies to check the visa details including conditions and entitlements
of a visa holder. VEVO requires a registration and login. To check/verify the status of a student visa and
its conditions, go to the VEVO website.

It is essential that every agent informs their students of the need to comply with their visa conditions. If
a student does not comply, their visa may be cancelled and they may need to return home. There is
also a three year ban (exclusion period) on re-entry to Australia if a visa is cancelled for breaching
visa conditions.

The following table explains visa conditions that are relevant to most students, there are other visa
conditions that may apply to the primary visa holder or their family members. This information will be
included in the visa grant letter and also in VEVO.

Condition Explanation

8202 The student must maintain enrolment in a full-time registered course that
provides a qualification at the same or higher level than the course which the
visa was granted to, and satisfy their provider’s requirements for attendance
and course progress.

8501 The student must maintain adequate health insurance during the time they are
in Australia.

8516 The student visa holder must maintain adequate arrangements for the
education of any school-age dependant who is in Australia for more than 3
months.

8532 If the student is under 18, he or she must maintain welfare arrangements with
either a parent, close relative or legal custodian or if welfare is approved
through the education provider the education provider must approve
arrangements including when arrangements change.

8533 The student must keep the education institution informed of their current
address in Australia. They have 7 days to notify them of any changes.

8534 The student will not be eligible to lodge a new visa application in Australia and
must return to their home country first, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

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 8535 The student will not be eligible to lodge a new visa application in Australia and
must return to their home country, unless the applicant gives evidence, in
writing, that the Commonwealth or the government of the foreign country, as
the case requires, does not oppose the applicant undertaking a further course
of study.

8105 The student cannot work more than 40 hours per fortnight when their course is
in session (other than work which has been registered as a part of the course).
No work limits apply during recognised periods of vacation offered by the
education provider. No work limits apply for Postgraduate Research students
(subclass 574) once their course has commenced.

8104 The student’s family member, who was included in the primary applicant’s (i.e.
Student visa holder) application and was granted a visa, can work up to 40
hours per fortnight.

NOTE: There are temporary 8104 and 8105 visa conditions that allow students to work more than 40
hours per fortnight, and similar allowances for family members. See here and here

B9.2 Meeting Student Visa Conditions

Attendance

A student must attend at least 80% of their scheduled lessons, unless they are enrolled in a higher
education (i.e. University) course. If this does not happen, then:

 The education provider will have documented policies and procedures stating whether they will
consider compassionate and compelling circumstances;

 The provider must issue the student a written notification of their intention to report the student to
DHA. The letter must also inform the student they have 20 working days within which to access the
provider’s complaints and appeals process.

Once this timeframe has lapsed or the appeals process has been finalised and found in favour of the
provider, the provider reports the breach of the student visa condition using PRISMS.

The student will then receive a notice informing them that they must attend at an Immigration office
within 28 days. Should they not do this, their visa may be cancelled.

Academic performance

A student must achieve satisfactory academic results. However, often an institution cannot
immediately exclude the student for failure and so the student continues on their Student visa. In this
situation the student needs to follow the relevant appeal process. If the appeal is unsuccessful, then:

 The education provider must have documented policies and procedures for monitoring course
progress and determining when a student has failed to make satisfactory course progress;

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 The provider must issue the student a written notification of their intention to report the student to
DHA. The letter must also inform the student they have 20 working days within which to access the
provider’s complaints and appeals process.

Once this timeframe has lapsed or the appeals process has been finalised and found in favour of the
provider; the provider reports the visa breach using PRISMS.

Current address

The student must keep the education provider informed of their current address in Australia. This is
because all formal notices are sent to this address. If the address changes, the student must inform
the education provider within 7 days.

An under 18 student must have the approval of their education provider to move to another address if
they are not living with a parent, guardian or relative.

Changing courses and institutions

Changing Course

If a student wants to stay at the same institution but wants to change courses with the same AQF level
they will not require a new student visa.

If the new course is longer than the original course, the student should apply for a further Student visa
before their visa expires. If a student wishes to undertake a shorter course than that for which the visa
was granted, when they have completed the shorter course they must, within 28 days, either depart
Australia or, if they wish to enrol in a further course of study, notify DHA and apply for a new student
visa if it is required.

A student must remain enrolled in a course at the same or higher AQF level for which their visa has
been granted (unless changing from AQF 10 to AQF 9). If the student wishes to change to a lower level
program, they should apply for a new Student visa. Otherwise a student is in breach of their visa
conditions and may liable for visa cancellation or the refusal of a subsequent application. DHA place a
particular focus on;

 Students who change their course very soon after arrival in Australia
 Large changes in level e.g. Bachelor courses to Cert III

 Change to very different course types

Where students are studying in Non-AQF courses (i.e. Foundation programs, ELICOS) and they wish to
change to an AQF course, this would be acceptable. In contrast, the reverse is not be normally allowed,
e.g. changing from an undergraduate program to a stand alone ELICOS program.

Student breaches do not involve automatic cancellations of visas, but any breaches of visa conditions
do risk visa cancellation.

Changing Institution

If a student has not completed six months of their principal course and wants to change education
provider, Standard 7 of the ESOS National Code sets out the circumstances in which this will be
possible. Unless special circumstances apply, they are required to have the permission of the existing
education provider (through a letter of release) in order to transfer to another education provider.

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The education provider must assess a request to transfer a student and all education providers have
documented procedures on their transfer policy. Agents should make sure they understand their
education provider’s transfer policy, and the written agreement with the student, before attempting to
enrol a student with a new education provider.

If an education provider does not give permission to transfer to another education provider and the
student is not satisfied with the outcome of the process, they should first access the internal appeal
process with the education provider. If still not satisfied, they can appeal the education provider’s
decision at an external complaints handling body, such as the State or Territory Ombudsman or the
Overseas Student Ombudsman.

If the student has completed six months of the principal course, no permission from the current
institution is required.

In cases where students have been granted a student visa based on streamlined evidentiary
requirements and they change to a provider that may have otherwise required regular evidentiary
requirements, DHA may request evidence of financial capacity and English proficiency from the
student.

Travel

Students can enter and leave Australia as often as necessary while they have a current student visa.
Students must check that their passport will not expire while they are outside of Australia.

If they obtain a new passport after they have already got a student visa, they must inform DHA of the
new passport details before they travel overseas.

If an under 18 student has their welfare arrangements approved by their education provider, they will
not be able to travel to Australia until the date their provider nominated as the start date for the
approved arrangements.

Duration of visa

The visa has an expiry date.

In the case of a student who is under the age of 18 whose welfare arrangements are being approved
by their education provider, the expiry date of the visa will be in accordance with the end of the
students approved welfare arrangements as indicated on the students CAAW.

An expired visa

If a student’s visa expires and they are still in Australia without having any other visas, they become
“unlawful” and should contact DHA immediately.

If they do not contact DHA within 28 days after the expiry date, they will not be eligible for the grant of
most types of visas, including a further Student visa in Australia and may then be subject to a risk
factor called an ‘Exclusion Period’.

An exclusion period prevents a person from being granted certain visas, including student visas, for a
period of three years after last departing Australia unless certain circumstances apply.

A cancelled visa

Similar to an expired visa, if a student’s visa is cancelled in Australia, they will not be eligible for the
grant of most types of visas, including a further Student visa in Australia and may then be subject to
an ‘Exclusion Period’.

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B9.3 Work rights for Students
An agent needs to inform their students that:

 They cannot expect to meet their tuition fees from the work they undertake in Australia; There is no
guarantee that suitable work will be available;

 Working may help them financially, but it is unlikely to provide substantial funds.
 Working in Australia gives them the same rights and protections in the workplace as any Australian
citizen.

Student Visa Holder

Student visas are granted with permission to work. As a result, student visa holders (and their family
members travelling with them) do not need to apply for permission to work separately once they
arrive in Australia.

A Student visa permits a person to work 40 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and
unlimited hours while their course is not in session.

NOTE: There are temporary work rights that should be included in this section, see:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500/temporary-
relaxation-of-working-hours-for-student-visa-holders

A student’s course is considered to be ‘in session’:

 for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are being held);
 if the studies have been completed but the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is still in effect, and

 if a student is undertaking another course during a break from their main course and the points will
be credited towards their main course.

Note: The student cannot undertake work until they have commenced their course in Australia. DHA
considers work to also include some volunteer work or unpaid work. If a student is doing voluntary,
unpaid work, it is not included in the limit of 40 hours per fortnight if it:

 is of benefit to the community

 is for a non-profit organisation

 would not otherwise be undertaken in return for wages by an Australian resident (that is, it is a
designated volunteer position), and
 is genuinely voluntary (that is, no remuneration, either in cash or kind is received, – board and
lodging acceptable).

These conditions do not apply to work that is required as part of a student’s course. The educational
institution will advise a student if this is the case.

Dependant of the student holder

A dependant of a student visa holder is subject to condition 8104 which permits the holder to work a
maximum of 40 hours per fortnight once the student (main applicant) has commenced their course. If
the student’s course of study is a course for the award of a masters or doctorate degree that is
registered on CRICOS, a dependant may work unlimited hours.

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Helping students understand their rights at work

The Australian Government is committed to helping protect international students during their time in
Australia, including in workplaces. To make sure that international students are treated fairly at work,
including being paid the right amount and on time, students need to know what rights they have in
Australian workplaces.

A website is available for education agents with tools and resources to help students have a positive
experience in Australia

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/internationalstudents

After reading through the site, answer the following questions.

B9.4 Visas Following Study

Overview

A student may wish to remain in Australia to work after their course has finished. A student visa entitles
a person to come to Australia on a temporary basis for a specified period to undertake study at an
Australian educational institution. While many overseas students make a decision to apply for
permanent residence upon completing their studies, this is an entirely separate process and there is
no guarantee that, on the basis of having held a student visa, a person will meet the requirements to
be granted permanent residence.

There is the opportunity for graduating students who meet particular criteria to stay in Australia and
work temporarily. The information that follows is a summary and you should refer to the DHA website
for further detail.

Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)

In order to remain in Australia after studies, a student can obtain a Temporary Graduate visa. This visa
has two streams: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.

The Graduate Work stream is the same as the previous Skilled Graduate visa (subclass 485). The Post-
Study Work stream offers extended options for working in Australia to eligible graduates of a higher
education degree. Under this stream, successful applicants are granted a visa of two, three or four
years duration, depending on the highest educational qualification they have obtained.

An interim measure allows eligible Temporary Graduate visa holders to enter or remain in Australia to
live and work until they can apply for a replacement Temporary Graduate visa from 1 July 2022. Further
information is available on the Department of Home Affairs website here.

Australian study requirement

All subclass 485 visa applicants must meet the Australian study requirement in the six months
immediately prior to making their application, regardless of the stream that they are assessed under.

Students must have:

 attained either a single qualification requiring at least two academic years study or multiple
qualifications resulting in a total period of at least two academic years study;

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 undertaken this study in no less than 16 months;
 lodged their application within six months of completing their course (when they received their
results not the Graduation ceremony).

To meet this requirement, the course/courses must also:

 be on CRICOS

 have been successfully completed

 have resulted in an eligible qualification
 have had all instruction in English

 have been completed while physically in Australia

 have been completed while holding a visa allowing study in Australia be counted only once
towards the Australian study requirement.
 not be an English language proficiency course or enabling program.

Two academic years study is defined as 92 weeks of study in a course or courses registered by
CRICOS. CRICOS defines a number of weeks for each course. Students may take longer to complete
their course, but will only be credited with the number of weeks that CRICOS determines as a standard
duration. Only study that is successfully completed counts towards the two academic years. Students
may meet the two year academic study requirement when completing a course that is longer than
two years.

Credits for prior learning may reduce the amount of study undertaken. Credit granted on the basis of
study undertaken in Australia in a course registered with CRICOS may contribute towards meeting the
Australian study requirement, but only once.

There is further information on the DHA website

Graduate work stream

Relevant to international students with an eligible qualification who graduate with skills and
qualifications that relate to an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). A visa in this stream is
granted for 18 months.

Eligible qualifications can be a degree, diploma or trade qualification and the qualifications must be
closely related to the student’s nominated skilled occupation. This means the subject matter and the
skills gained from the qualifications can be applied at the level achieved in the nominated skilled
occupation.

Example: Acceptable combinations of study and nominated occupations include:

 an applicant who nominates ‘Physiotherapist’ as their skilled occupation and completes a degree
in physiotherapy in Australia
 an applicant who nominates ‘Air-conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber’ as their skilled
occupation who has completed a Certificate III in Plumbing and a Diploma of Plumbing and
Services in Australia

Example: A combination of study and nominated occupation that would not be acceptable:

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 An applicant’s nominated occupation is Registered Nurse but they completed a Bachelor of
Commerce.

Note that the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) changes regularly and occupations that may have been
listed when a student commenced their course, may no longer be on the list when they graduate.

Post-study work stream

For international students with an eligible qualification. A visa in this stream is granted for 2-4 years.
Eligible qualifications:

 Bachelor degree (2 years work rights)

 Bachelor (honours) degree (2 years work rights)

 Masters by coursework degree (2 years work rights)

 Masters (extended) degree (2 years work rights)
 Masters by research degree (3 years work rights)

 Doctoral degree. (4 years work rights)

Note: Study resulting in a diploma level qualification or trade qualification is NOT eligible.

All courses must have been undertaken at an Australian university or education provider accredited to
offer degree level programs.

Migrate to Australia under the General Skilled Migration (GSM)

It is important to note that student visas are aimed at achieving an educational outcome. General
Skilled Migration (GSM) on the other hand is predominantly driven by the labour market needs of
Australia.

The criteria for grant of GSM visas can change in response to the changing economic circumstances
of Australia. All applicants seeking to be granted a permanent GSM visa must meet the relevant
criteria set out in the Migration legislation, regardless of whether or not they have previously been in
Australia. It is important for student visa holders to note that any changes to the criteria for the grant of
a GSM visa would not affect their Student visa conditions.

Note: If you are an agent working in Australia, you must be a Registered Migration Agent (RMA) to
provide immigration advice.

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B9.5 Immigration Advice from Education
Agents in Australia
The Migration Act 1958 states that it is necessary for individuals who provide immigration advice to
others for a fee to be registered as migration agents (RMAs) by the Office of the Migration Agent
Registration Authority (OMARA).

This legislation does not apply to education agents outside Australia.

Education agents in Australia (not overseas):

 Must limit their advice about immigration matters to explaining information that is publicly
available (on the DIBP website for example).

 Must not provide substantial comment on the information other than to help the student
understand the information if English is not the student’s first language.
 Should limit their advice to student issues alone.

 Can assist in completing student visa applications for their students and act as a point of contact
for DHA during the progress of an application.

If you are an education agent working in Australia you can help your students by:

 posting or delivering a visa application to the department on behalf of your student

 undertaking clerical work to prepare, or help prepare a visa application

 providing translation or interpretation services to help prepare a visa application

 advising your student that he or she must have a visa to stay in Australia
 passing on information from a third party, without comment or explanation, e.g. information
publicly available from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection
 being nominated to receive correspondence on behalf of your student.

Registered Migration Agents undergo a rigorous registration process and continuing professional
development. This is because of the large number of visa types and the frequent changing of visa
regulations and conditions. So, education agents who are not RMAs are not equipped to understand
the factors that impact on an individual’s migration plans.

Education agents in Australia who are not RMAs should not attempt to:

 Case manage a student’s application for permanent residence,

 Provide any detailed analysis of a student’s migration pathway.

It is a criminal offence in Australia to give immigration advice if an individual is not an RMA.

You need to put a student in contact with a Registered Migration Agent as quickly as possible if:

 The student is having significant difficulty in complying with their visa conditions, or

 The student has received a notice of visa breach.

 Any appeal needs to be lodged within a strict time limit.

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To find RMAs in Australia or overseas please refer to the Office of the Migration Agents Registration
Authority search page.

B10. Privacy, Student Complaints and

Appeals

Overview

The Privacy Act was passed by Federal Parliament in 1988. This legislation relates to all people in
Australia, and applies to people working with international students. Privacy laws can determine what
information can or cannot be provided to an agent.

If a student reasonably believes they have not received acceptable services they can make a
complaint or if they have received a negative decision they can lodge an appeal. This section will
consider the common complaints and the processes to be followed.

Focus Questions

1. How should a student’s private information be collected and used?

2. How do privacy laws relate to students aged 18 or over?

3. How do privacy laws relate to medical situations?
4. What do students complain about?

5. What mechanisms are available to make a complaint for an international student in Australia?

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B10.1 What Should an Agent Know About
Privacy?
If you are an agent working in Australia

 You are subject to the privacy laws;

 You need to understand how information about individuals can be used.

If you are an agent working outside of Australia

 You need to understand how some information cannot be given by certain institutions such as
hospitals without the written permission of the student. This can be confusing if this does not occur
in the student’s home country.

There are four general issues you need to be aware of:

General Issues Explanation

Collection of information An agent or provider must only collect

information that is necessary for its normal
function. It cannot collect information about a
student that is unrelated to its function.The
student must know if information is collected.If
practical, information can be only collected from
the student and not from other sources.

Use of information An education provider must only use the

information for the purpose that it was collected
unless the student agrees to it being used for
other purposes.

Security of information An education provider must protect the

student’s information from loss or misuse.

Access to information The student must have access to the

information on request.

Standard 3.3.6 of The National Code 2018 states that a written agreement with a students must set out
the circumstances in which personal information about the student may be disclosed by the
registered provider, the Commonwealth including the TPS, or state or territory agencies, in accordance
with the Privacy Act 1988

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B10.2 When is Privacy a Concern?
There are two common circumstances in which an agent or parent may wish to find out more about
the student in Australia. However, it is possible that they may not be able to obtain any information.
These cases are:

1. Academic progress and results

This circumstance is specific to a student who is 18 or more years old. This means the student is legally
considered an adult under Australian law. So, information cannot be provided to anyone unless there
is specific instruction from the student.

Question – Can an agent obtain information about a student’s academic progress in order to provide
to a parent or guardian?

 Yes – If the student gives his/her consent in writing for the education provider to provide the results.

 No – If the student does not want to give his/her consent.

 No – If the student is not available to give their consent. Academic results cannot be obtained even
if the agent thinks that the student will agree to provide them.

2. Medical situations

One of the most difficult circumstances concerns students who have medical problems. This is
because the student’s parents may not speak English well and they may expect the agent to
investigate the problem.

Question – What happens if a student is unable to communicate? For example, the student may have
had a serious accident and may be unconscious.

 The medical authorities may not agree to communicate with an agent or the education provider.
 However, the medical authorities will always communicate with the student’s parents / wife /
husband (unless the student has expressed a wish for them not to).

The medical authorities have the power to consider each case and its circumstances. They can decide
to release sensitive medical information if they believe it is appropriate, and in the best interests of the
student.

In these situations, it is better for an agent to work closely with the education provider. This is because
the education provider is in a better position to obtain information, especially if the agent lives outside
Australia.

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B10.3 Student Complaints and Appeals
Overview

If international students do not get the services they pay for, they have a right to complain. When they
have an adverse judgement made against them, (such as failing a subject or not meeting the
attendance requirement), they have the right to appeal the decision. In the first instance, these
matters will be dealt with internally and the education provider will have a complaints and appeals
process that should be followed.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman (OSO) deals with complaints made against any private
educational institution. Government institutions use a State Ombudsman or range of Tribunals
(depending on the nature of the complaint or appeal to serve the same purpose. See this website for
more information.

If the student wishes to make a complaint, an agent may be asked to help the student understand the
process they need to follow or they may be the subject of the complaint themselves.

What do overseas students complain about?

Students can complain about their education provider if they believe the provider may not have
followed the rules correctly or treated them fairly. The common complaints according to the OSO are:

1. Refund & fee disputes (28%)

2. Transfer/release letter external appeals (16%)

3. Unsatisfactory attendance external appeals (11%)

4. Unsatisfactory course progress external appeals (9%)

Complaints might also be about:

 being refused admission to a course

 course fees and due dates

 graduation/completion certificates/academic transcripts

 cancellation of enrolment
 accommodation or work arranged by a provider
 incorrect advice given by a provider’s agent

 inaction or delay, for example, failure by a provider to issue student results within the normal
timeframes, or failure to provide services that were included in the student’s written agreement
with the education provider.

The OSO do not investigate complaints where a student took more than 12 months to complain.

The Process

When a complaint is received, an assessment is first made about whether it is an issue that the OSO
can investigate. In some cases, the Ombudsman may decide not to investigate a complaint. This
might be because:

 the student has not complained to the education provider first, or

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 another organisation is better able to deal with the complaint.(e.g. the police if it is a criminal
matter)

 If a decision is made to investigate a complaint, the Ombudsman will ask the education provider
about the problem. The Ombudsman may request relevant documents, or information such as
student records from the provider.

The OSO can use formal powers to obtain documents from the education institution and also has the
power to enter premises or require a provider to answer questions as part of an investigation.

What happens at the end of an investigation?

At the end of an investigation the Ombudsman may conclude that the provider has not acted
unreasonably, and will advise the student and the provider of this decision.

In other cases, the Ombudsman may conclude that the provider failed to take appropriate action or
the action appears to have been:

 contrary to law

 unreasonable, unjust, oppressive or improperly discriminatory or

 otherwise, in all the circumstances, wrong.

Where that happens, the OSO may recommend that a provider remedy the problem for example by:

 apologising to a student
 reconsidering a decision affecting a student
 providing a refund

 providing clearer information or

 changing a policy or procedure.

Students also complain about their agents

Common complaints about agents:

 Giving false or misleading advice about a course or provider

 Enrolling a student with one provider while telling the student they had been enrolled with a
different provider
 Accepting tuition fees before the student signed the written agreement
 Failing to pass on tuition fees to the provider

 Failing to give the student a copy of the written agreement, with the refund policy, so the student is
unaware of their rights

 Receiving a refund on behalf of a student when not authorised to do so in the student’s written
agreement with the provider

 Receiving a refund on behalf of a student when authorised to do so but then failing to give the
refund to the student

 Arranging sub-standard accommodation in Australia and failing to assist the student when they
complained

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B11. Extension: Agency Agreements and
Commission

Agency Agreements (contracts)

Must institutions review and update all their current contracts with their education agents?

Institutions should review the agreements they have in place to ensure they are compliant with the
National Code 2018.

Can institutions pay a commission to education agents who approach them if they don’t have a
written agreement with the agent?

Yes. Institutions may pay a commission if they do not have a formal agreement with the agent.
However they must enter into a written agreement if the relationship changes to an ongoing one
where the agent formally represents the institution.

Does an institution need to state on a student’s letter of offer that they do not have a written
agreement with an agent?

The provider does not have to advise an intending student whether or not they have a written
agreement with an education agent.

Is an agent without an agreement deemed to be representing the student?

It is not that an agent without an agreement is deemed to be ‘representing the student’. It is that the
institution has not formally engaged the agent to represent it and recruit students for the institution.

In their agreements with agents, should providers stop agents giving their commission to
students as a way of reducing the students’ tuition? Can an agent give a student their entire
commission?

An agent can give a student their commission to reduce the student’s tuition fees. If an institution
wanted to prevent this practice they could incorporate the condition into the written agreement with
the agent.Except for the requirements prescribed by Standard 4, the content of the business
arrangement between the provider and the agent is a matter for the provider and agent to
determine and agree.

Is an agreement that states that the agent must be ‘independent’ and ‘not the agent of the
provider, but the agent of the student’ compliant with the National Code 2018?

The test for assessing this is to initially ask: Is the agent formally representing the institution? If the
agent is not, and they are representing the student, why does the institution have an agreement
with them?If the agreement has terms and conditions relating to the scope of the agent’s
promotional activities, commissions and the like, then the agent is formally representing the
institution regardless of additional provisions it may contain.

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 Are providers who engage education agents to recruit only a small number of students required
to have a written agreement?

Yes, whenever a provider engages education agents to recruit students on its behalf, a written
agreement is required.

Commission

Commission is a form of payment to an education agent by the education institution for their services.
It is usually paid upon the student commencing their studies and may be paid at periodic intervals
(normally each semester) while the student remains enrolled in their course.

The commission is usually a percentage of the tuition fee. This percentage is set in the written
agreement between the provider and the education agent. Standard commission rates vary from 12-
15% of the tuition fee for a formal qualification and 20-35% for ELICOS courses.

It is not uncommon for providers to increment the commission for their agents based on their
performance (e.g. after the first 15 enrolled students the agent will be paid 5% of the tuition fee, then for
the next 15 students this fee increases to 10% and if the agent recruits more than 30 students, their
commission may be 15%)

In cases where the provider doesn’t have a written contract with the agent, they still can pay
commission. In these cases it is possible that the provider informs the prospective student (e.g. in the
letter of offer), that they do not have an agreement with this agency and therefore the provider is not
required under Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) to take responsibility for the activities
of the agent. The provider may wish to explain this situation further to the student.

However, according to the National Code 2018, if the relationship becomes ongoing, then a written
agreement must be signed by both parties.

Some agents give part or whole of their commissions back to their student as an incentive. This is not
considered an unethical practice. If the institution wanted to stop/prevent this, the signed contract
with the institution will explicitly state that this cannot be done by the agency. (see the common
questions and answers for the National Code 2018 Explanatory Guide, Part D).

Note: This extension section is provided for information only and will not be covered in self-
assessment tasks or the formal certification examination.

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Working Effectively (WEF)
This chapter we will be covering:

C1. Overview

C2. A Who’s Who of Australian International Education

C3. Student Client Management

C4. Pastoral Care Issues

C5. Promoting Australian Education

C6. Marketing Information

C7. Student Documents

C8. Extension: Useful Information

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C1. Working Effectively (WEF)

Overview

This unit looks at the role of an education agent counsellor and considers:

 The people that interact with an agent in their day-to-day work

 Managing student clients, including their pastoral care

 The marketing and promotion of Australian Education
 Managing Student Documentation

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C2. A Who’s Who of Australian International
Education

Overview

Agents are required to understand who they need to deal with in regard to a student application or for
any particular issue. This lesson provides an overview of:

 the roles of key individuals in Australian institutions and related bodies and

 when and why an agent might have dealings with them.

Focus Questions

1. What kind of people would an agent most commonly deal with?

2. Where do those people fit in within the organisational chart of their institution?
3. What are the job titles and responsibilities of people working to market international education in
Australian institutions?
4. What kind of people would agents not have frequent contact with?
5. Which government or peak bodies does an agent need to have contact with?

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C2.1 Organisational Charts
The following four organisational charts refer to common types of institutions working in international
education. They show how different roles in these institutions typically interact with each other:

University Structure

TAFE Structure

ELICOS & Private VET College Structure

203
Secondary School

These organisational charts are intended as a guide, and may not replicate particular institutional
structures exactly.

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C2.2 Roles – International Marketing

The table below shows:

 Relevant position titles

 The main responsibilities of each position and

 Why an agent may have contact with a person in a particular position.

Title Responsibilities Contact with Agent

Manager of International  The appointment and ongoing  You wish to make an

Marketing
Also known as:
– Deputy Director
– Marketing and
Promotions Manager
maintenance of educational
representatives for the institution.
 The overall strategic direction of
the marketing plan.
In smaller private colleges and

application to represent the
university.
 You wish to discuss the
terms of your appointment
or contract.

ELICOS institutions this role is

– International Marketing
combined with the Manager of
Manager
International Development

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Regional Manager –  Marketing and promotions for a
International Education
Also known as:
– Marketing Officer

– Coordinator
International Marketing
– International Liaison
Officer
 They would be your main
particular international region marketing contact.
such as the Middle East, Europe or
 They would most likely train
South East Asia.
you about their institution.
In some cases this person may
You would contact this

operate offshore from their region
person to coordinate
of responsibility.
exhibitions, representative
interviews and directed
marketing strategies.

International Programs  Developing promotional material.  You would contact them to

Coordinator order the international
prospectus or to discuss
Also known as: operational matters
– Assistant Marketing regarding exhibitions.
Coordinator

Study Abroad and  Usually for dealing with both  You might contact them to
Exchange Coordinator incoming and outgoing students find out the status of an
on exchange or study abroad. exchange student’s
Also known as:  For processing a study abroad
application.
– Study Abroad and student's application.
Exchange Manager
– Incoming and Outgoing
International Student
Coordinator

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C2.3 Roles – International Student
Administration

The table below shows:

 Relevant position titles

 The main responsibilities of each position and

 Why an agent may have contact with the person in each position.

Title Responsibilities Contact with Agent

Manager International  Overall responsibility for international  You would contact this
Student Admissions admissions, application processes and person for higher-level
turn around times. concerns including
Also known as: fraudulent documents
 In schools, the Deputy Principal
– Manager International and visa issues.
commonly performs this role.
Administration
– International Education
Office Manager
– Deputy Director of
Student Administration
– Director of Student
Administration
- Deputy Principal

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International Student
Admissions
Coordinator/Officer
 In schools, the Deputy Principal would
Also known as:
– International
Admissions Officer
– Enrolment Officer
 Processing a student’s application for
admission into CRICOS registered
programs.
normally perform this task.
You would contact this
person regarding the
status of a student’s
application. This includes
queries about credit for
prior learning, additional
information required and
Confirmation of Enrolment
issues.

AusAID Liaison Officer  The primary contact person for AusAID  You would contact the
(ALO) students throughout their study. ALO for all issues
concerning a student
 This position is required by all
on an AusAID
universities that have enrolled AusAID
scholarship.
students.

International Student  Organising the orientation program for  There would be very
Orientation Program newly arrived students. few reasons for an
Coordinator  Generally, it is a position found in
agent to contact this
person.
universities. In smaller organisations
Also known as: such as TAFE, ELICOS and schools, this  All queries regarding
– Admission Officer role would be performed by somebody orientation would be
– Assistant Administrative reporting to the Director of Student directed to the
Officer Administration, Deputy Principal or International
Deputy Director of Student Admissions Officer or
Administration. the International
Student Academic
Adviser.

208
Director of Studies  Academically assessing and  There would be few
approving students’ applications for instances when an
Also known as: admission. agent would contact
– Deputy Principal the Director of Studies.
 Approving withdrawal from a program
– Executive Director Initially all academic
and other academic matters during
(Academic) queries would be
the time a student is enrolled in a
course. directed to the
International
Assessing any credit to be awarded to
Admissions Officer.


a student for previous study.

 The Director of Studies position is
typically outside the International
Education office and within a Faculty
or Academic School. In schools, this
role is typically the responsibility of the
Deputy Principal.

International Student  Advising international students on the  The International

Academic Adviser
Also known as:  Giving advice on credit for prior
– Academic Adviser
– International Liaison
Officer
– International Student

subjects they need to complete for the Admissions Officer
award of their degree. may communicate
with this person in
learning, overseas exchange and
case an agent has
study abroad opportunities.
questions regarding
academic credit of
Preparing a case for admission for
his/her student.

approval by the Director of Studies.

Coordinator
– Deputy Principal  This role is also typically within a
– Study Abroad and Faculty of an academic unit of an
Exchange Academic organisation.
Adviser

Teachers Teaching and assessing international There would be no

students during their course of study at an common reason for an
Also known as: institution. agent to contact teachers
– Faculty staff directly.
– Academics (Lecturers /
Tutors)

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C2.4 Roles – International Student Support

The table below shows:

 Relevant position titles

 The main responsibilities of each position and
 Why an agent may have contact with a person in a particular position.

Title Responsibilities Contact with Agent

Manager of International  Heading student support  You might contact this

Student Support Services services such as the
accommodation office,
Also known as: student counsellors, Student
– Director of Student Union Representatives,
Administration Student Services and
– Deputy Director Activities, International
Administration Student Finance Officer and
– Deputy Principal Adviser.
person to discuss high level
concerns such as
accommodation issues,
airport reception and pick-
up, or if a student was
having a personal crisis at
home and needed some
emotional support.

 In schools and smaller

colleges this role is often the
responsibility of the Deputy
Principal and Director of
Administration respectively

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International Student Adviser
Also known as:
– Client Services Officer
– International Students
Activities Officer or Coordinator
– International Student
Counsellor or Support Officer
– Career Counsellor
 Providing emotional,  You would contact this
financial and academic person initially regarding a
support. student’s social and
 Organising things such as
personal welfare. For
airport pickup, cultural
example, if a newly arrived
adjustment workshops,
student contacted you with
going-home workshops,
culture shock you would
financial loans for students,
seek assistance for them
career advice, academic
through the Student
Support Office.
preparation workshops and
personal counselling.

Accommodation Officer  Assisting in securing  If a student contacted you

Also known as:
– Head of Boarding House
– Client Services Officer
– Student Support Officer
accommodation for newly
arrived students before or
upon their arrival.
after their arrival with
complaints about their
accommodation, you would
refer the complaint to the
Accommodation Officer.

Student Union Officer –  Advising students on  There would be very few

International Student available social clubs and
Programs societies for them to join
(for example a student
Also known as: theatre club or Jordanian
– Clubs and Societies Officer Students Association).
instances when you would
have to contact this person,
although you might meet
them on a visit to the
institution.

 Typically this position is only

in universities and larger
TAFEs and private colleges.
In smaller organisations,
this information is available
through the Student
Support Services.

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C2.5 Roles – International
Relations/Development & Executive Positions

The table below shows:

 Relevant position titles

 The main responsibilities of each position and

 Why an agent may have contact with a person in a particular position.

International Relations/Development

Title Responsibilities Contact with Agent

Manager of International  In charge of an institution’s  If you were approached by an

Relations international development and international institution
investigating international wanting to develop an alliance
Also known as: – Deputy opportunities. In some smaller with an Australian institution,
Director institutions such as TAFE, you might contact this person.
– Marketing and private colleges and ELICOS
Promotions Manager centres, this role is the
– International Marketing responsibility of the
Manager International Marketing
Manager.

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 Project Officer  Supports the Manager of
International Relations and
coordinates the operational
aspects of investigating
opportunities.
ExecutivePositions
Title Responsibilities
Vice-Chancellor  The overall strategic and
operational running of the
University.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor  Overall strategic and
(International) operational running of the
institution’s international
portfolio
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 As in the above example, the
person in this position may
liaise with you on
implementing the alliance
opportunity.
Contact with Agent
 There would be no reason for
you to contact the Vice
Chancellor directly; however,
you might meet them at
ceremonial events such as
overseas graduations.
 There would be very few
circumstances where you
would need to contact the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
directly. You might have the
opportunity to meet with the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor if you
visit the institution or if the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor is
visiting the country where you
operate.
International Director  The operational running of the
International Directorate or
Office.
ELICOS/College Director  The operational running of the
College or ELICOS Centre.
Principal  All aspects of the operational
running of the school.
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 You would contact the Director
in high-level situations such
as: the death of a student; a
student being arrested in
Australia; or a student going
missing.
 In schools and smaller
organisations, you might have
more contact with the
International Director or
Principal. For example, in a
school, the International
Director may encompass the
roles of marketing,
development and admissions.
In this case the Director would
be your main contact.
 Depending on the size of the
institution, your contact with
this person can range from
minimal (only meeting them
on ceremonial occasions) to
frequent (when this role also
encompasses development
and marketing).
 There is a lot of variation
regarding how much contact
an agent might have. In some
schools, the Principal has a
very large role in marketing
and may wish to meet every
agent or undertake marketing
trips. In others, these functions
are the responsibilities of
others.
C2.6 Government Peak Bodies and Other
Organisations

Peak Body / Function Possible Agent Contact

Organisation

AusAID  Manages Australia’s aid  You may assist a student who

programs; aid may involve wants to apply for a scholarship.
sponsoring education programs.

Australia Awards They provide opportunities for  You may assist a student who
Scholarships people from developing countries, wants to apply for a scholarship.
particularly those countries located
in the Indo-Pacific region, to
undertake full time undergraduate
or postgraduate study at
participating Australian universities
and Technical and Further Education
(TAFE) institutions.

International Supports international education by:  You would browse their website
Education Group  developing and providing to find out more about
information on regulatory legislative changes (like the
requirements and Australian ESOS Act review).
education issues to education
agents.
 monitoring provider obligations
under the ESOS Act.
 engaging with other
governments concerning
qualifications recognition.

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Austrade  Provides information and  You may contact Austrade if a
tailored services to Australian local opportunity arises for an
education and training providers Australian institution.
to support their international
 You may need to contact the
education engagement
local Austrade office to ensure
strategies.
they are aware of your existence
 Delivers international marketing as an agent if your business
and promotion services to the operates offshore. This means
Australian education sector. that they can refer your services
 Collates information and to new education providers
develops reports relating to entering the market.
market developments and
education and training
opportunities offshore.
 Publishes scholarship
information though the Study
Australia website.
 Supports alumni development
and networks.

Independent Tertiary  The major national industry  Networking.

Education Council association for independent
Australia (ITECA) providers of post-compulsory
education and training, for
Australian and International
students.
 membership includes
universities, colleges and English
language institutes.

TAFE Directors  An association of Directors  Networking.

Australia (TDA) (Chief Executive Officers) of
Institutes of Technology and
Technical and Further Education
in Australia.

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Department of Foreign The Department of Foreign Affairs  To discuss travel concerns
Affairs and Trade and Trade is responsible for overseas.
(DFAT) advancing the interests of Australia
 To be updated by their travel
and Australians internationally
alerts.
through:
 enhancing Australians security
 contributing to growth in
Australians economy,
employment and standard of
living
 assisting Australian travellers
and Australians overseas
 strengthening global
cooperation in ways that
advance Australians interests

 fostering public understanding

of Australians foreign and trade
policy
 projecting a positive image of
Australia internationally
 managing efficiently the
overseas property owned by the
Australian Government.

Department of Home  Controls and maintains  You might contact DHA to pass
Affairs (DHA) Australia’s visa requirements. on information if a student had
problems with their visa or had
been issued with a notice to
cancel their visa.

 You also might contact DHA

(through its immiAccount Login)
about registration requirements
for Education Agents in Australia
and eVisa access related
enquiries.

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Australian  Controls and maintains
Department of Australia’s education, training
Education (DE) and employment government
departments.
English Australia (EA)  Represents English language
institutes across Australia.
International  Serves and supports the
Education Association professional needs and interests
of Australia (IEAA) of individuals working in
international education
 Encourages informed and
ethical professional practice
among members
 Promotes international
education with governments,
education institutions and
organisations and within the
community.
ISANA: International  The representative body for
Education Association international education
(ISANA) professionals in Australia and
New Zealand who work in
international student services,
advocacy, teaching, and policy
development.
Independent Schools  Represents the independent
Council of Australia schools sector on a national and
(ISCA) federal basis.
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The Department of Education has
responsibility for a number of
international education functions,
including Qualifications recognition,
the ESOS framework, the Tuition
Protection Service and education
agent performance data. The
department provides leadership
and coordination across
government, delivering programs
and policies, to support mobility and
the global exchange of knowledge.
 One example of why you would
deal with English Australia is if
you wanted to register for one of
their agent training workshops.
 To find information and statistics
on international education, as
well as guides for employment,
agent ethics, etc.
 You can use this as a resource to
advise students on the support
systems available in Australian
universities, colleges and
schools.
 You might contact the Council
regarding a promotional event
or to advise a student who is
interested in going to an
independent school.
National Catholic  Responsible for the overall policy
Education and direction of education in
Commission (NCEC) Catholic Schools.
Study Australia (Study  The official Australian
Australia) Government site for studying in
Australia.
Universities Australia  Universities Australia is the
(Universities Australia) industry peak body representing
the university sector.
State Education  Each State and Territory has its
Departments own Education Department,
which often has a section
dedicated to promoting
international education.
Council for  National peak student
International Students representative body for
Australia (CISA) international students studying
at postgraduate, undergraduate,
private college, TAFE, ELICOS and
foundation levels.
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 Like ISCA, you might contact the
Commission regarding a school
promotional event, advising a
student on Catholic education or
for networking purposes.
 You would browse and
recommend this website to your
prospective students to find out
more about courses, institutions,
studying and living costs, the
student visa application process
and visa requirements.
 Networking.
 To lobby the government.
 To take advantage of
opportunities for agents to visit
both public and private
institutions in their state.
One of your students may become
a representative of CISA
C3. Student Client Management

Overview

In this lesson you’ll consider the following 3 stages of client management:

Stage Client Management

1. Before arriving in Australia  Recruitment

 Application and Letter of Offer

 Payment and Confirmation of Enrolment
 Student Visa Application and Grant

 Pre-Departure Briefing

2. After arriving in Australia  Reception in Australia

 Admission and Orientation
 Course Begins
- Student withdraws
- Student continues

3. After completing the course  Graduation

 Post-Graduation

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Focus Questions

1. In what ways are students recruited?

2. How do students know if they have been accepted into a course?

3. Why might a student decide to withdraw from a course after enrolling in it?
4. How can an agent help a student who is studying in Australia?
5. Is an agent allowed to give advice to a student who has graduated about living permanently in
Australia?

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C3.1 Before Arriving in Australia
At this stage the management of the student involves:

 Recruitment
 Application and Letter of Offer
 Payment and Confirmation of Enrolment

 Student Visa Application and Grant

 Pre-Departure Briefing

As an agent, you are required to create (and update) a student file to keep copies of all relevant
documents and correspondence regarding the management of your student (this can be in a paper
or electronic format).

Recruitment

The recruitment of students is the first step in the client management process.

Recruitment can take many forms and is usually managed in collaboration with a client institution.
Some examples are shown below:

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 Type of Recruitment Features

Exhibitions The institution is represented and applications

are processed through an agency. If the
institution is present, application fees are usually
‘waived’ (that is, the application fee does not
need to be paid).

Interviews A representative from the institution holds

interview sessions at an agent’s office.
Application fees are often waived in this
situation.

Walk-In A student visits your agency through either an

advertising campaign or word of mouth referral.

Links / Alliances Sometimes an overseas institution has an

agreement (eg. articulation, twinning or study
abroad) with an Australian or overseas
institution. In this situation a particular agency
may be promoted as the preferred application
route.

During this stage of the process a student is advised on their different study options including
institutions, programs, costs and locations.

Application and Letter of Offer

After understanding their study options, the student needs to submit an application form.

The required documents for an international student’s application usually include:

 Certified copies of their academic history to date, including high school results, university results
and awards;
 Certified copies of their English Language proficiency (eg. IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, CAE or
evidence that their medium of instruction has been English);

 Certified copies of ID (e.g. passport)

 For research study, a copy of their research proposal may also be required.

You need to decide how many applications to send and to which institutions. This is a judgement for
an agency to make as policy. It might be preferable to send a small number of applications as best
practice because:

 For the student this will provide a choice of programs at different institutions.
 For the institutions, it is likely they will be more supportive of you if they receive a small number of
applications that convert to enrolments rather than receiving and processing a large number of
applications with few conversions.

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The institution will reply to a student’s application in one of four ways:

Reply to Application Details

A Rejection letter This indicates the student does not meet entry
requirements for that program at that specific
institution.

A Conditional Offer letter This is a request for additional information. For

example, the offer may be conditional on the
student providing certified copies of their
documents or conditional on undertaking further
English language training. You would need to
contact the student to supply the additional
information required. Once the conditions are
fulfilled, the student would receive a Full Offer
letter.

A Full Offer letter This indicates a student is eligible for direct entry
into that institution’s program.

A Package Offer letter This is a full offer to a program with an additional

(a version of a Full Offer letter)
conditional offer into another program. For
example, a Foundation Package Offer is a Full
Offer into a Foundation Program plus a
conditional offer into an undergraduate
program. The letter would explain that if a
student successfully fulfilled certain conditions
during their Foundation Program, they would
then be given direct entry into a degree
program.

Payment and Confirmation of Enrolment

A Full Offer (or Package Offer) letter is often accompanied by a letter of acceptance. If the student
wishes to accept the offer, they need to sign this document and then you would return it with a copy of
the payment (e.g. copy of international bank transfer or credit card authorisation form) to the
institution.

The payment required usually consists of:

 tuition fees for the program (usually the first semester);

 Overseas Student Health Cover (single or family).

Once payment is confirmed a student is issued with an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment Form.

In most cases the institution would issue this and then forward it, via the agent, to the student.

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In some cases the institution may have authorised an agent to create CoEs on their behalf. This CoE is
then being checked by the institution staff and if found correct, authorised by them. The agent then
prints out the authorised CoE.

With a valid CoE all students at all Assessment levels can apply for a Student visa at their local
Australian High Commission or Australian Embassy.

Student Visa Application and Grant

Once the student has a CoE, an application for a student visa needs to be processed. This involves:

 Filling out the application form.

 Gathering supporting documentation such as:
– Evidence of financial support
– English language proficiency
– Academic qualifications and
– Other documentation as required
- Completion of health checks.

Application checklists can be found on DHA’s website.

Pre-Departure Briefing

A pre-departure briefing should be organised before students leave their home country. This briefing
should cover all areas of a students stay in Australia and should provide realistic expectations of a
student’s life in Australia.

Students need to be aware of:

 Visa conditions
 Reception procedures

 A list of contacts for their arrival

 Facilities

 Cultural briefing
 Student support services
 Accommodation options and

 Other relevant topics.

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C3.2 After Arriving in Australia
At this stage, the management of the student involves:

 Reception in Australia

 Admission and Orientation

 Course Commencement

Reception in Australia

Australian education providers offer a range of reception services to make a student’s arrival in
Australia as easy as possible. Some examples are given below.

Airport Pickup:

 You can arrange for an institutional representative to pick up your students from the airport on
their arrival. They then can be taken to temporary or permanent accommodation.
 The airport pick-up fee is usually payable before arrival. Also, the education provider must have a
record of the student’s flight details so that the representative is given the correct information
about the student’s arrival (especially if the flight is delayed or arrives ahead of schedule).

Accommodation:

 Temporary accommodation
can be provided to international students until they find something more permanent. This type of
accommodation is ideal for students when they first arrive, so they can eventually decide where
they would like to live for a longer period of time.

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 Homestay
is a common option for high school or ELICOS students and involves staying with an Australian
family in their house. Terms vary but most homestay accommodation includes breakfast and
dinner.
 On-campus accommodation
is available at many education providers that have residences in the form of residential colleges or
boarding houses. These usually have to be pre-booked before a student’s arrival in Australia.
 Off-campus accommodation
can be arranged after a student’s arrival in Australia and is usually arranged independently of the
education provider. Forms of off-campus accommodation include: rental houses or units, student
residences operated by private organisations and student units or houses operated by private
organisations.

Other information:

International students on reception in Australia may also receive information about opening bank
accounts, the local environment, and orientation dates.

Orientation and Admission

Each education provider will organise a student orientation before students commence their course.
Orientation usually showcases the services and activities available to students during their study
including academic planning advice, student support services, clubs and societies, and health care.

Note that universities can advise students to ‘enrol’ during the orientation period. Having a CoE means
that the student has been accepted into the study program. They must then select subjects and
tutorials at this time to finalise their study program.

Course Begins

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Once a semester commences there are two possible scenarios:

1. The Student withdraws

There are many reasons why this happens such as:

 They are unhappy at the education provider or location they originally chose

 They are homesick

 A family crisis means they have to return home
 Their original course is inappropriate*

 They find a faster or better program of study that meets their needs.*

*Note that agents are expected to recommend appropriate courses to students. It is considered
unethical to place a student in a course known to be inappropriate in order to collect a commission.
This behaviour is also a breach of the National Code 2018, Standard 4.6.

The student may decide to return home or enrol in another education provider. In both of these
situations:

 the student may need to apply for a refund. Students should be made aware of the refund policy
of the education provider they are attending. If a student withdraws after the advertised deadline
then penalties could apply. Penalties usually include reduction in the refunded money and/or a
withdrawal with penalty recorded on a students academic record.

 the provider will also inform DHA that the student is no longer studying at that provider through
PRISMS. If the student does not enrol in another course, the student visa will be cancelled.

If the student wishes to enrol in another education provider:

 they must have a letter of release from the original provider and an evidence of a full offer from
the new education provider.

 DHA requires that a student will not be considered for a transfer for the first 6 months of their
principal course unless there are clear grounds for this.

 if the initial course was eligible for SVP and the proposed new course is not, the student’s visa may
be cancelled based on the combined evidence of the student’s new education provider and
country of citizenship.
 the agent can collect their commission from the new provider.

2. Student starts their studies

If a student starts their studies in their chosen program, you can invoice the education provider for
your commission (as per the terms of your agency agreement with an education provider).

Advice for student crises

During their course of study a student may come to you for advice concerning crises such as these:

 Medical – an accident, or serious illness

 Financial – student is unable to pay for their studies

 Visacompliance – the student has breached the conditions of their visa

 Family – some family matter has involved the student or

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 Academic – the student has difficulties succeeding in their studies.

In most cases an agent can only:

 advise the student of their options

 liaise with family members in their home country if appropriate and/or

 redirect family members to sources of support.

For example, if a student has been excluded from an education provider on academic grounds, you
can refer them to the relevant contacts (such as student support services) for advice on available
appeal procedures.

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C3.3 After Completing the Course
At this stage the management of the student involves:

Graduation

When the student has completed all of the requirements of an academic program, they are eligible to
graduate.

An agent has no active role in a student’s graduation in Australia. However, if the institution conducts
overseas graduation ceremonies, they may request that you attend or be involved in the organisation
of the ceremony.

Post-Graduation

After graduation a student may come to you to investigate their future options. You may be asked to
give advice on:

 Postgraduate study options

 Alumni Functions

 Returning to Australia on a Work* or Tourist Visa

 Permanent Residency* in Australia

*If you are operating within Australia and are not registered as a Migration Agent then you must refer
your clients’ queries regarding such options to a Registered Migration Agent (RMA). If you are located
overseas there is no such requirement.

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C4. Pastoral Care Issues

Overview

Agents can play an important role in looking after the welfare of students while they are in Australia. In
Australian education the term ‘Pastoral Care’ means the social, emotional and cultural support for
students, and staff in schools, colleges and universities.

For international students, pastoral care sometimes has a broader meaning and includes services
such as language and learning support, support programs, and specialised advice and information.
This is because students coming to Australia to study require a higher level of care as:

 they are away from their family and friendship networks

 they are often not well-connected to community support systems

 they may need to study in a foreign language and

 they must function in an environment where values and behaviour patterns may be very different.

Focus Questions

1. Which systems exist in Australian institutions to support international students?

2. How can an International Student Adviser help students?

3. How can an agent assist a student to prepare for their studies in Australia?
4. Why is it important for students to attend an institution’s orientation week?

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C4.1 Introduction to Pastoral Care Issues

Pastoral care broadly concerns:

 Systems
 Facilities and services and
 Accommodation.

Systems

All education providers have systems of pastoral care for students. How they organise these depends
on the size of the provider and the educational sector.

Resources might include:

 specialised staff
 a student support office
 a communication system to let students and staff know where help may be found

 physical facilities such as student drop-in centres, lounges and information boards placed in
locations where students gather.

Facilities and services

Pastoral care facilities are varied in the way they are managed and who manages them. Universities,
colleges and schools have student support staff who are located in student support units, and within
faculties and departments.

A University Student Union, Guild or Student Association provides facilities for specific groups of
students, including legal advice, health services and student clubs and organisations, which offer

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support and networking opportunities for new and continuing students. Often the student
organisations have their own office and provide informal advice for students.

It is common for universities, colleges and schools to provide prayer rooms and specially allocated
places for religious observance, in recognition that international students are from many faiths.

An indirect way pastoral care is managed by education providers is the encouragement of ‘campus
life’, which covers the whole experience students have when they come to university or school.
Campus life includes activities, sports, meetings, festivals, events and networks. Students should be
advised that being involved in campus life is an excellent way to be responsible for their own pastoral
care.

Accommodation

Pastoral care services are often located with residential facilities, so that students can access help
after hours. Many residential colleges have a person employed to assist students.

When living in rental accommodation students should be encouraged to locate the nearest services
such as doctors when they settle in. Many, but not all homestay carers will assist students to find the
best pastoral care at school or in the community.

A few examples of overseas student services by Australian education providers:

 International Student Services – QUT

 International Student Support Services – UTAS

 Student Support – TAFE Queensland

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C4.2 People

Under the National Code, education providers must ensure that pastoral care as part of their student
programs and systems. This includes appointing staff that are specialists in counselling and advising
international students, who are located either in faculties, departments or in special student support
offices.

In secondary schools, these support people may also be teaching staff with additional responsibilities.

Students should be encouraged to:

 seek help from specialised staff as soon as they think they need it and

 take the opportunity to learn about living and studying in Australia before and after they arrive.

A range of support is provided by:

 International student advisers

 Student counsellors
 Support specialists
 Learning and language support personnel

 Student organisations
 Accommodation officers

 Community support personnel

 Law enforcement workers

International Student Advisers

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An International Student Adviser has a range of responsibilities and often provides the first point of
contact for students seeking advice on a range of matters. The responsibilities might include:

 Welcoming new students at orientation programs

 Planning and delivering activities and events for students

 Developing student support programs, including peer support

 Preparing information for students to assist them with questions

 Discussion with individual students in relation to their student experience

 Referring students to relevant services and specialised support
 Liaising with external bodies such as DIBP, and community groups

 Communicating with and supporting student organisations

 Providing advice to faculty staff about the specific needs of international students

 Providing individual advice and support for students about:

 Settling into accommodation
 Cultural adjustment

 Academic progress
 Where to find appropriate services and
 Basic information about visa compliance.

Studentcounsellors

Student Counsellors may be the same people as International Student Advisers, but generally a
counsellor is a person specialised in psychological welfare, mental health and sometimes cross-
cultural issues.

Students are encouraged to seek help from counsellors, as these people are trained to maintain
students’ confidentiality, and have special skills. Australian students are familiar with the role of a
counsellor and often find that talking over personal problems is a very good way to solve issues.

Within universities counsellors are also informed about language, learning and health issues, and can
refer students to the right person for their needs.

Support specialists

Many large providers employ specialist support staff to help students with disabilities and other issues.
Universities are obliged to provide this kind of support.

Students should be advised to talk to their Enrolment Officer or International Student Adviser before
they enrol, or when they arrive if they think they will need assistance with a disability. This might
include:

 note-takers for deaf students

 wheelchair access to buildings
 special learning support and/or

 special support at exam time.

Learning and language support personnel

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A key part of pastoral care for international students is the support available for their academic
studies. Language and learning support can assist in the following areas:

 Studying in an Australian education environment

 Developing independent learning skills

 Writing essays and assignments

 Participating in tutorials
 Giving presentations
 Doing research and using libraries.

Student organisations

On all university campuses and in many colleges student groups are active to represent the interests
of the students enrolled. For international students these include:

 Cultural groups

 National groups
 Special interest groups

 Postgraduate groups
 Religious groups.

Accommodation officers

Many students find that rental accommodation, living in homestay arrangements and balancing
budgets are stressful. In most large institutions there will be Accommodation Officers who can assist
and advise students with these common problems:

 Signing a residential lease and not understanding the language on the documents
 Being responsible for bills when a house-mate moves out

 Finding communication difficult with house-mates

 Being unfamiliar with appropriate and acceptable behaviour when dealing with others
 Having responsibility for large sums of money, including fees

 Finding that part-time work does not sufficiently help with costs
 Balancing education and part-time work responsibilities
 Being unaware of rights as employees in part-time jobs.

Community support personnel

Along with special staff in universities colleges and schools, many support personnel in the community
can provide services to students. These include:

 Health professionals (eg. doctors, dentists, psychologists, naturopaths, and acupuncturists)

 Counsellors
 Religious groups and churches

 Municipal support (eg. town councils)

 Ethnic and cultural groups

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 Consulates
 National-based associations.

Law enforcement workers

Students may find the laws and regulations in Australia very different from their home countries.
However, students should understand that laws relating to safety, security, privacy and protection are
intended to ensure that people’s rights are protected.

If a student witnesses a crime or is a victim of a crime, then the police should be contacted. Most
Australian States have police units, which specialise in crime and public safety issues relating to
immigrant groups and international students. Students should be confident in trusting police to deal
with safety and security issues.

Security staff at many large colleges and universities are trained to help international students when in
trouble or when they feel their security is threatened. Students who report threats, crimes, or any other
issues to security staff, police, or staff at their education institution have the right to have these issues
kept confidential.

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C4.3 Programs

There are many programs that are available to international students before, during and at the end of
their study in Australia (this is required by the National Code).

Pre-departure

Pre-departure briefings are arranged by some universities or are run by some agencies. Students
generally are most interested in the pre-arrival and on-arrival information they receive at these
briefings, so information should be focused on practical information relating to:

 settling in
 finding accommodation

 what to expect in a new country.

The following areas need to be considered in a pre-departure briefing:

FAQ Information

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What students need to know before they leave
their home country
Possible questions from student and their
families
Asking senior students to help with pre-
departure
Preparing interactive online presentations and
resources
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Students should be encouraged to use a
checklist that has information about:
 The climate in the area they will be studying
 The local environment, community, campus
 What to pack
 Preparing for a homestay experience
 Preparing for independent living
 Telephone and internet access
 What the school, college, university can
provide before arrival
 What to expect in the classroom
 Relationships
 Emotional preparation
 Safety and security
 Who the student should contact with
problems or for information
 The documents that should be carried, read
and understood
 Airport reception and what to do if the pickup
does not arrive.
Many parents attend pre-departure briefings
with their students. Parents often have questions
about safety, security and supervision of
younger students.
Students who have completed a year or two of
their Australian studies (and who are home for
vacation) can be useful in providing first-hand
information to students who are preparing to
study in Australia for the first time.
Online and interactive presentations are worth
considering if students are unable to attend
briefings. Monash University, for example, has
pre-departure information on their website.
 What students need to know on arrival Most education providers send detailed on-
arrival information to students before they arrive.
This may include:
 How to use public transport

 Currency, banking, shopping

 How to contact the school, college or
university

 Dates of enrolment, orientation,

commencement.

Orientation

Orientation programs are a regular part of the international student support process. Providers
develop and deliver these in a range of formats according to the number of students, and the time of
intake into courses.

Orientation programs for large universities are often published on the university’s website to inform
students what is available to them. Other providers send orientation information with the CoE and
most will have this information available upon request.

It is expected that all students attend orientation programs to:

 Receive a formal welcome to the school, college or university

 Receive vital information about the new study environment

 Have course and enrolment information explained
 Be informed about campus life and facilities such as banking and public transport

 Have specialised staff available to discuss accommodation options and issues

 Be informed about language and learning support

 Be informed about visa compliance obligations

 Meet new friends, teachers and international student advisers
 Become familiar with the library resources and research facilities

 Understand what is expected of them as an independent learner in Australia

 Have campus tours

 Enjoy a range of social activities.

Mentoring

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Many new international students will be offered the opportunity to join a peer mentoring, or peer
support program. These programs may be run by academic faculties or the international office and
can include:

 Social activities run by senior students for newly arrived international students;

 Activities to familiarise new students with their local area, and accommodation options;
 Campus tours;

 Learning support groups;

 Emotional support.

Here is an example of the orientation program at the University of Queensland.

Returning home program

It is recommended that international students participate in a returning home program, especially if

they are studying at university. These programs are an opportunity for students completing their
studies to:

 Gather together and discuss their student experience

 Collect information about leaving Australia, settling accounts, accommodation, and arranging
freight transfer for possessions
 Be acknowledged formally by the university on their achievements

 understand the experience of returning home and ‘reverse culture-shock’

 Say goodbye to classmates and teachers.

Some universities hire academic caps and gowns so students can have official photographs taken.
This is because many students leave Australia before their graduation ceremony or a ceremony is not
held in their home country.

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Postgraduate students are connected through their university campuses to the Council of
Postgraduate Associations (CAPA), which was formed in 1979 to represent the rights and interests of
postgraduate students. CAPA provides a national forum to discuss common issues for international
postgraduates.

Spouse and partners programs

Many universities have developed programs and activities for the partners of students, particularly
postgraduates. Partners and children of students often need support and they are often isolated if they
are not working or connected to their local communities. These programs aim to provide informal
networks for these individuals.

While pastoral care is part of the educational provider’s obligations and student support is of a very
high standard, students should realise that they are also responsible for finding out where support and
information is available. It is expected that students will ask questions and seek information (and all
services and support offices encourage this).

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C4.4 Cross-Cultural Awareness
Cultural Differences

Studying in Australia involves meeting and interacting with people from all over the world. In order to
gain the most from the experience, students should be encouraged to respect and learn about how
other cultures and nationalities differ from their own.

Cultures may have different attitudes towards:

 Individual rights and collective rights - in Australia, generally the rights of the individual person are
considered more important than the well-being of the community as a whole

 Power and inequality - most Australians are prepared to challenge the opinions of powerful
people, eg teachers
 Uncertainty - Australian people are reasonably comfortable with uncertain situations and do not
expect explicit rules of behaviour in all circumstances
 Equality for females - Australian people generally believe that females are the equals of males
and should receive the same rights and rewards
 Work and Play - Australians put great value on their “lifestyle” and their opportunities to enjoy
sport, holidays etc. Other Asian cultures emphasise work as more important
 Formality - Australians are quite informal in their interactions with one another compared to many
other cultures
 Non verbal communication - for example, how close people stand to one another in conversation
or do they accept touching or handshakes with strangers.

An agent needs to be aware of their own cultural attitudes and their student’s likely cross-cultural
challenges when assisting their students to settle in Australia. This includes understanding aspects

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of the teaching and learning environment in Australia that may be different and any behaviour and
language that would seem unusual or unacceptable in the student’s own country.

The Teaching and Learning Environment

In a classroom or lecture situation, Australian students are expected to demonstrate initiative and ask
questions of the teacher or lecturer. This is not seen as disrespectful as it might in some other cultures
but demonstrates to the teacher that the student is fully engaged in the lesson.

Australian educators put much less emphasis on memory recall than Asian countries, and typically
students in Australia will be required to undertake group projects and independent research on how to
solve problems as part of most courses. These skills may not commonly be required of students in their
own cultures and they may be unfamiliar with how to approach such ideas. In particular, negotiating
with other students to present a group project can be quite stressful for some international students,
especially as some of the other students in their group may not be particularly cooperative. In
Australian education culture, the ability to learn and work with other people together and overcome
inter-personal difficulties is highly regarded.

Language

Australians often use quite colloquial (informal) language to be friendly and welcoming. This can be
quite confusing for international students, especially if they have studied American or British English.

The meaning of these spoken expressions may be unfamiliar with students who are new to Australia:

 She’ll be right.

 No worries.
 How ya’ goin’?

 Java good weekend?

 Good on ya’.
 Fair dinkum

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Some of these expressions are frequently used and so students will probably pick them up quite easily
and quickly.

C5. Promoting Australian Education

Overview

Agents play a key role in promoting Australia’s education. This lesson seeks to provide a clear
indication of the main advantages of studying in Australia from an international student’s point of
view.

Focus Questions

1. What are the main reasons why your students choose Australia as a study destination?
2. How well do you explain these reasons to them?

3. Are there any important reasons that students are often unaware of?

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C5.1 Australian Society and Environment
Australia’s society, people and environment may all be appealing to international students.

Multicultural

 Australia’s multicultural society is sophisticated and largely harmonious.

 More than 100 ethnic groups are represented in Australia, making Australia one of the most
culturally diverse countries in the world.

 45% of the population are either born outside of Australia or have one parent born outside of
Australia.

 International students are readily accepted by other students, and teachers are experienced in
teaching classes to students from many countries.

 Australians respect the freedom of people to practise their choice of religion. Churches, mosques,
temples and synagogues are located in most major cities.

 Some universities have their own spiritual groups on campus.

Safe

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 Australia has low crime rates and strict gun control laws that provide a safe environment.
 Study plans and progress are not likely to be upset by political unrest.
 According to the latest OECD data, Australia’s homicide rate is 0.9, lower than the OECD average of
2.6.

Welcoming

 Australians are open, relaxed and friendly people so students usually find a warm welcome in
Australia. Many students living in homestay situations experience Australian family life in a natural
way and often find they are treated like a family member.

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 Even though there are only 25 million people in Australia, it has the third highest number of
International students in the world.
 Whether staying in homestay, boarding school or campus accommodation there are many
opportunities to make lasting friendships.

Unique environment and experiences

 Australia is a land of contrasts and adventure – from beaches in summer to snow fields in winter
and from coastal rainforests to vast inland deserts.
 Students can experience exciting leisure and sporting activities such as bushwalking, diving,
surfing, and rock-climbing.
 Many students enjoy the opportunity to interact with Australian people through a range of cultural
activities and sporting events.
 There are 17 UNESCO Heritage Sites including The Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House and
Kakadu National Park.

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C5.2 Qualification Recognition
Australian qualifications are recognised in and outside of Australia.

Within Australia

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) covers most courses and training undertaken by
international students in Australia. The AQF is a national system of learning pathways, which is
endorsed by the Australian Government and recognised throughout Australia and by other countries.

On completing an AQF qualification, international students can progress to the next AQF level
anywhere in Australia as long as they satisfy student visa requirements.

Outside of Australia

Australian qualifications are also internationally recognised when students seek employment or when
they consider further study at leading international universities.

C5.3 English Speaking Country

These are some reasons why this can be worthwhile:

1. English opens doors to a wide range of study options and a wider range of international careers,
being “the current lingua franca of international business, science, technology and aviation.

2. Students can improve their English proficiency while studying in Australia. In an English-speaking
environment students can correct their mistakes and learn more quickly.

3. Learning to use English can be an enjoyable experience that develops a student’s self-confidence.

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4. Learning English enables greater social interaction and for students to meet people and make
friends from all over the world.
5. Students can obtain recognition of their ability (eg. by taking an IELTS or TOEFL test).

6. With a multicultural mix of students in our educational facilities, you will learn the world’s language
in a truly international environment.

7. Australia is the only country in the world with mandatory national standards of English and a
comprehensive, industry-led quality support framework.

C5.4 Excellence
There are over 1,200 institutions and over 22,000 courses on offer for International students considering
Australia as a destination. Importantly, Australian education institutions have an international
reputation for excellence in many disciplines.

Some of the reasons for this are as follows:

1. Institutions deliver practical and career-orientated training so graduates can be confident they
have the skills demanded by employers.
2. Australia has a reputation as an innovative and research-intensive culture.

3. Academic staff are recruited from around the world and often are leading industry experts in their
field.
4. Australian teachers are experienced in supervising students from many countries.

5. Each year student and staff exchange programs are forged from Australia’s international links
with education institutions in the USA, UK, Canada, Europe and Asia.

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6. Australia has a reputation for adopting new technologies at a faster rate than in most other
countries and has one of the highest rates of Internet access in the world.

7. Facilities for teaching, training and research are world-class in terms of state-of-the-art
laboratories and classrooms, outstanding libraries and modern technology.

C5.5 Quality Assurance

International students in Australia and their parents enjoy a very high level of service and financial
protection. Quality is assured in a number of ways:

Registration

Institutions must be registered with the Australian Government and meet special registration
conditions enabling them to deliver courses to international students in Australia.

Standards

Both public and private institutions must meet high standards of quality and ethical practice, which
take into account such issues as:

 curriculum
 qualifications of teaching staff and
 facilities including specialist equipment.

Processes

Quality assurance processes in education and training in Australia are strengthened by:

 The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF);

 The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA);

 The Australian Skills Quality Agency (ASQA)

 The Tuition Protection Service (TPS)

Australian Government quality assurance measures can only extend to students in Australia and those
enrolled in a registered institution and course. However, if an institution offers courses at an offshore
campus or through an agent, the institution will be expected to maintain standards at least equivalent
to those provided in Australia and carry full responsibility for all aspects of delivery.

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C5.6 Student Support Services
Australia is an international leader in safeguards and support services for international students.
Specialist services are well resourced and quality assured.

Australian institutions are sensitive to religious and cultural needs and provide a range of support and
monitoring services to help deal with settling into a new environment, the practicalities of living in
Australia, and completing studies.

Among the excellent range of services supporting the personal needs and academic achievements of
international students in Australia are:

 language tuition

 designated international student advisers

 application and visa-processing assistance

 on-arrival reception and orientation programs

 health, counselling, accommodation and employment services
 Student Accommodation Officers

 prayer and worship room

 clubs, societies, sport and other facilities.

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C5.7 Accommodation Options

A variety of high standard student accommodation is available to suit different budgets and needs.

Institutions usually provide students with help in finding accommodation and understanding lease
and tenancy conditions. Temporary accommodation can be arranged before they leave home
allowing time on arrival to consider where and how they would like to be accommodated in the longer
term. Student noticeboards and newspapers often advertise rooms, apartments and houses for rent.

Following is a summary of accommodation options available:

Option Approx Cost* Features

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Homestay AUD290 – AUD310 per  It is possible for students to gain access to
week the Australian lifestyle in a natural and
friendly way through homestay.

 This is popular with younger students and

those studying short-term English courses.

 Some meals are usually included in the cost.

 Single or shared rooms may be offered and
the cost will vary accordingly.
 Self-catering homestay is sometimes
available cheaply.

 Farmstay offers the same services in a rural

setting, and for short stays.

Institutions maintain a register of families

prepared to accommodate international
students during the academic year. Education
providers ensure that homestay families are
reputable and that they offer accommodation of
a reasonable standard.

Australian Homestay Network (AHN) is a team of

dedicated professionals managing homestay
placements in Australia.

Hostels and Guest AUD190 – AUD265 per  Hostels are usually run by organisations such
Houses week as Youth Hostels Australia and the Young
Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).
 Students share kitchen and bathroom
facilities.

Shared AUD150 – AUD370 per  Students often share with fellow students.
Accommodation / week / They advertise on notice boards, websites
Rental AUD220 – AUD500 per and in newspapers. Students may have to
Accommodation week provide their own furniture.

When renting a house, apartment or bed-sitter,

landlords require rent to be paid in advance and
will require a security bond usually equal to one
month’s rent.

Boarding Schools AUD20,000 – AUD40,000  Many private secondary schools provide

per year accommodation, meals and laundry services
for international students.

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 University Variable: approx  Most universities offer a variety of
Apartments, AUD15,000-AUD35,000 accommodation on or near to campus such
Colleges and Halls of per year as university apartments, residential colleges
Residence or halls of residence. Halls of Residence are a
popular option with full-time international
students. The cost depends on the type of
accommodation.
 Residential Colleges provide
accommodation with meals. The college
undertakes cleaning and household tasks.
Sporting and social facilities, tutoring,
libraries and (generally) computer access
are also provided.

*cost varies depending on the location (e.g. rural or inner city accommodation)

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C5.8 Ability to Work

During Their Studies

Australia as a study destination is attractive for students since they are allowed to work to supplement
their income.

International students studying in Australia are only allowed to work once they commence their
course.

A Student visa holder is subject to work condition 8105 which permits the student to work 20 hours
per week* while their course is in session and unlimited hours while their course is not in session.

A student’s course is considered to be ‘in session’:

 for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are being held)
 if the studies have been completed but the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is still in effect

 if a student is undertaking another course during a break from their main course and the points will
be credited towards their main course.

Refer to this website for more information for work rules for international students.

* Postgraduate Research (subclass 574) students can work unlimited hours once their course
commences.

Dependants

Dependants of student visa holders are permitted to work in Australia for 20 hours per week once the
student has commenced their course.

If the student’s course of study is a course for the award of a masters or doctorate degree registered
on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses of Overseas Students a dependant may

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work unlimited hours.

Post-Study Work Rights

The Post-Study Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) offers extended options
for working in Australia to eligible graduates of a higher education degree. Under this stream,
successful applicants are granted a visa of two, three or four year’s duration, depending on the highest
educational qualification they have obtained.

Students must meet the Australian study requirement in the six months immediately prior to making
their application by having:

1. attained either a single qualification on CRICOS requiring at least two academic years study or
multiple qualifications resulting in a total period of at least two academic years study; and
2. undertaken this study in no less than 16 months

3. completed the course while physically being in Australia

For further details visit DHA.

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C6. Marketing Information

Overview

Information about Australian international student numbers is available through a number of sources.
Some of these sources provide free access while others require a subscription fee.

Agents should regularly measure their own recruiting performance against relevant industry-wide
data.

Focus Questions

1. Regarding the data that AEI provides, how is it collected and how often is new data made
available?
2. Which other organisations does AEI liaise with to produce reports about international education?

3. What kind of information do peak bodies provide?

4. How can industry data help agents identify market opportunities?

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C6.1 Sources of Information
It’s possible to access both government and non-government sources of data. However, you need to
be careful when analysing data from different sources to ensure that like comparisons are made.

For example, data for Foundation Year students is not separated from Higher Education statistics and
may also be reported within VET or Other Sector enrolments. Also, a Foundation Year student may have
enrolled in an ELICOS course prior to commencing the Foundation Year program within the reporting
period. This means that this student is counted as two enrolments – one in the ELICOS data and one in
the Higher Education data.

Government sources of data

Federal Government Information

Austrade – Austrade student enrolment data is derived from the

– Student Enrolment Statistics
PRISMS database and counts enrolments by students who
require a student visa to enter Australia.
– Data includes commencements, finishes and year to
date counts. It is broken down by nationality, sector,
state/territory, field of study and level of study.

Note that Austrade reports on enrolments as evidenced by

eCoEs. For example, a student may have an eCoE for a
Bachelor of Economics course and an eCoE for an ELICOS
course at the same time – this counts as two enrolments.

Austrade offshore network – Located in many countries, Austrade offices provide

– Offshore support training programs for local agents interested in increasing
their knowledge about Australian institutions and market
intelligence updates.

Austrade – Global Education News
– The Global Education News eNewsletter is delivered each
fortnight and provides latest developments, market
intelligence and opportunities from in-country sources for
the education sector. Subscription to the Global Education
News is free, and can be accessed here.

Department of Education, Employment – Higher Education data is collected for Commonwealth

and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Grants purposes including information on level of courses
and broad fields of study. You’ll need to search the Higher
Education Publications and resources main page.

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) – DHA provides Student visa grant statistics.

259
 State Governments
Government offices
Promotion groups
Non-government sources of data
Source of Data
IDP – International Education
Statistics
Information
Australian State Government offices are located in many
locations around the world. For example:
– Trade and Investment Queensland.
– Department of Education and Training, Victorian Government
They also may have information on international student
numbers, for example:
– Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade, NSW
Government
Some State and city council governments have established
special promotion groups to profile their education offerings.
For example:
– Study Queensland
– Study Adelaide
– Perth Education City
– Study Gold Coast
– Study Melbourne
– Study in Sydney
– Study Tasmania.
Information
– IDP conducts a ‘head count’ of international higher education
students enrolled in Australian institutions on March 31. The
results of IDP surveys are released bi-annually around July and
November.
– The data is useful for information on international students by
mode of study (onshore and offshore) and trends in offshore
enrolments (transnational campus and distance education
courses).
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 Surveys
Education Sector Peak Bodies
(national and state-based)
Education Institutions
C6.2 Using the Information
There are 5 general ways that you could use the information:
Use of Information
1. To compare agency recruitment
performance against state and
sector
– These are conducted or funded by: English Australia (EA), the
National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and
AEI.
– EA publishes an annual Survey of major ELICOS regional English
language markets (see 2021’s report here). An executive
summary is available online, and a full report is available for a
fee.
Note that the figures are approximations and only include
students that are on a tourist visa (which is around 50% of ELICOS
students).
-English Australia (EA)
– Universities Australia (UA)
– Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA)
– Independent Schools Council of Australia (ISCA)
– The Association of Independent Schools NSW (AISNSW)
– Independent Schools Victoria (ISV)
– Independent Schools Queensland Inc. (ISQ)
– The Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia
Incorporated (AISWA)
– Independent Schools of Tasmania (IST)
– The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia
(AISSA)
– They can provide information to their representative agents on
trends in student enrolments at an institutional level (eg. the
percent of students from key country sources, or courses of high
interest).
Questions an Agent Might Consider
– Did my agency record a decrease in enrolment numbers,
despite an overall increase in international student
enrolments for my country into a certain state and education
sector?
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2. To analyse core business against – Is the demand for my services and representation a dying
current statistics demand?
– Should I consider changing the mix of business?

For example, an agency specialising in ELICOS and primary

and secondary education recruitment for Malaysian students
may decide that the decreases experienced in these sectors
in recent years indicate that opportunities for growth are
limited and that there should be a realignment of the
business to include other more popular sectors.

3. To identify market opportunities – Should I consider seeking additional institutional

through horizontal growth representation in other sectors and other states?
– Should I consider opening another branch office in another
country to service the growing student demand for Australian
education there?

4. To identify market opportunities – Is there an opportunity to add value by providing further

through vertical growth services for international students?

For example:
 guardianship services
 visa processing (employing an RMA)

 friends and family visiting tours

 academic staff study tours
 tourism services.

5. To analyse recruitment and – If my agency recruits students mainly through

marketing strategies advertisements in the local school newsletters and seminars
at the local high schools, will this still be a reliable method for
recruiting students if I change my business mix?

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C7. Student Documents

Overview

Agents need to submit different documents to education providers and government agencies on
behalf of their students as a normal part of their role. This lesson provides an outline of issues that
surround handling student documentation and a set of guidelines for clarifying the authenticity of
these documents.

Focus Questions

1. What must an agent do to properly manage student information?

2. Which kind of qualifications are accepted by Australian institutions?

3. What are some common methods used to create inauthentic documents?

4. How can an agent recognise that a document is a forgery?

C7.1 Dealing with Student Documents

Overview

Agents handle two types of documents:

1. Academic
– student academic records
– testimonials

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2. Legal/Official
– student visa related documents
– financial records
– medical test results
– personal declarations.

Clear record keeping

Agents need to be very organised and keep copies of all documents submitted in individual student
files. Any important telephone or face-to-face conversations relating to a student’s application should
also be recorded as a written file note. It is also a common practice to send a follow-up email after
such conversations to summarise/clarify what was agreed by both parties.

Files should not be destroyed until it is certain that the student has no further business with the agent.
This may not be until the student has completely finished their course of study or has formally
appointed another agent in their place.

Note that another individual may need to act on the material in a student’s file at a later date. So, the
material in the file should be complete and easy to understand.

Back-up of records

It is important to back up student records on a regular basis. This can be done electronically for
example, to guard against a major loss such as a fire or theft.

Privacy

Agents should observe privacy principles when dealing with students’ records. They should not
disclose personal information to anyone who does not have a legitimate reason to access this
information. Also, they should take reasonable steps to ensure the proper security of student
information.

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Verification

Agents can be asked to verify the authenticity of a document by an education provider, often by
declaring that they have ‘sighted’ the original document.

Photocopies of documents are easily forged and care should be taken when accepting these. The
educational provider will usually have a policy on the form of documents that they accept.

C7.2 Recognition of Academic Qualifications

With the introduction of the Internet and the increasing number of education providers throughout the
world, there has been a significant rise in the range of providers of educational credentials.
Unfortunately, many providers exist solely to generate profit (this means they ‘sell’ qualifications for
little academic work); they are usually called “diploma mills”. At the same time there are sincere, but
unaccredited institutions, whose quality of education is difficult to determine.

There are no set guidelines on how a qualification should be seen as ‘acceptable’. Australian
institutions are free to determine the kinds of students for their courses. So, one qualification may be
acceptable for one institution, but it may be unacceptable for another.

There is a range of resources available to make it easier to determine the acceptability of a

qualification. It can be useful to use the Generally Accepted Accrediting Principles (GAAP) Framework
to determine the acceptability of qualifications offered by an institution.

If an institution falls within the following guidelines, then probably an Australian education provider will
accept this qualification:

Category Requirement

Institutions in Australia Listed on the Australian Qualifications Framework Register

(AQF).

Institutions in the United States of Accredited by an agency recognised by either the US

America Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation.

Institutions in the United Kingdom Membership in the Association of Commonwealth Universities

and the British Commonwealth (ACU) and listed in the Commonwealth Universities Yearbook.

Rest of the world Accreditation and recognition through AACRAO and NACES
with the participation of the College Board;
OR
-A listing in the Country Education Profiles, published by the
National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition and the
Australian Education International (NOOSR – AEI).

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The most commonly used guide of whether an institution accepts a qualification in Australia is the
Country Education Profiles produced by NOOSR – AEI.

Another similar online system is maintained by UK NARIC. This system compares the level of a
particular qualification with the UK education system and is often used by educational institutions to
assess qualifications from countries that are not described by the NOOSR – AEI Country Education
Profiles. Both of these systems require a subscription fee.

Professional recognition of qualifications

Professional associations vary in their approaches and types of qualifications they will accept for
registration. Note that anybody can create an ‘association’ so it is important to check its credibility and
status.

Most authoritative professional bodies require qualifications to be undertaken at particular

educational institutions, and prescribe the required coursework. Senior members of the professional
association generally sit on the internal accreditation panels to ensure that courses meet its
requirements. The range of organisations involved in professional education is large and covers:

 formal registration bodies

 external accreditation bodies

 voluntary professional associations

 trade unions with professional interests
 employer groups

 state and national peak bodies.

Within Australia, the following professions have professional bodies, which mandate a Bachelor Degree
(or equivalent) as an educational qualification for membership and the right to practise in the field:

Accountancy Nursing
Architecture Physiotherapy
Computing Psychology
Engineering Social Work
Law Teaching
Medicine Veterinary Science

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C7.3 Qualification Authenticity
Overview

The relationship between an institution and their agent is based on trust. An agent should help
institutions recognise any irregularities in students’ applications as part of ensuring that the student is
genuine in their wish to undertake studies in Australia.

In particular, submitting forged or inauthentic documentation on behalf of a student is a serious

matter and is likely to lead to an agent’s contract being terminated by an institution unless it can be
demonstrated that the agent was also deceived by the student.

It is extremely difficult to determine the main source countries of forged documents, where they are
produced and how they are obtained. The Internet and other black market sources make them easily
accessible across the globe.

One guide is to assess countries on their perceived level of risk with regard to corruption and risk of
falsification. To do this you can use the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) developed by Transparency
International, which has developed a ranking of corruption. The CPI ranks a total of nearly 200
countries and provides a score between 0 (highly corrupt) to 10 (highly law-abiding). See the following
table for the CPI of the major student enrolments to Australia:

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 Ranking by source of Country of source of Ranking of country on CPI (/100)
student numbers for students for Australia CPI (/180)
Australia

1 China 66 45

2 India 85 40

3 South Korea 32 62

4 Vietnam 87 39

5 Malaysia 62 48

6 Thailand 110 35

7 Indonesia 96 38

8 Nepal 117 33

9 Brazil 96 38

10 Saudi Arabia 52 53

2021 Corruptions Index Data

Identifying Forged Documentation

You may come across these 5 methods of forgery:

Method Examples

Forged qualifications These are created to represent a legitimate or fictitious

institution, and/or program of study.

 They are either purchased from the Internet/another black

market source or created by the holder themselves.
 The quality of the documents varies from perfect replicas
through to very poor reproductions.

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 Altered documents These are official, legitimate documents that may have been
altered through omissions, additions or changes. These
alterations can include (but are not limited to) changes in:

 the date of birth

 dates of attendance
 initial enrolment and graduation dates

 grades and/or
 course content.

Manufactured in-house These are documents produced by corrupt employees located

within the educational institution. Cases can include both altered
and fabricated documents in the national language or the
language of the receiving country and designed ‘specifically for
foreign consumption.’ The changes may be that:

 grades are inflated

 contact hours/credits can be inflated

 professional titles or degrees are awarded for programs that
represent only completion of a partial or intermediate
qualification.

Interpretative translations These are inaccurate translations of documents, which are

interpretative in nature and systematically misleading. Samples
include:

 the literal translation of the Latin American high school

diploma of ‘bachiller’ into ‘Bachelor’
 the conversion of grades into the US grade scale (A to F);
 the translation of course titles to comparable subjects in the
receiving country to enhance the possibility of credit transfer.

Official copies of forged These documents have been photocopied and then
qualifications authenticated from an official source. Note that documents that
have been certified by a Justice of the Peace (Notary Public)
have the potential to be forged.

Recognising Inauthentic Documents

Some possible clues that a document may not be authentic are as follows:

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Problem with Examples

Information  Chronology of study period does not make sense or match claims on
application form

 Program of study did not exist at the claimed time the candidate
undertook the program

 Inappropriate or outdated signatures

 Cultural and anachronistic inconsistencies (dates, institutional name
changes, institutional mergers, institutional closures)
 Educational aberrations (hours of study, uncharacteristic grading
system, years of study, program cancellations)

 Numerical aberrations: credits do not add up and overall grade point

averages (GPA) are a mathematical impossibility

 Unusually high grades and/or presence of high grades in countries

where higher grade ranges are virtually nonexistent

 Creative translations showing American grades, American courses

titles, an uncharacteristic or exorbitant number of credit or hours per
class.

Language  Misspellings, unprofessional language or poor grammar are present

on academic documents

 Incorrect terminology
 Non-traditional format of transcripts or grade certificates prepared
in a language other than the official language of the country where
the document originated.

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Appearance  Awkward or forced lettering

 Inconsistent fonts and/or incompatible type-face in a single

document
 Weak or incorrect seals/emblems, colours, shapes;

 Blurry emblems
 Scanned images

 Cut-and-paste quality
 Incorrect paper quality, texture, size (letter or legal), colouration
 Lack of watermarks or the obvious appearance of hand-made
watermarks
 Incorrect diacritical marks

 Lack of holograms or other safety measures

 Missing pictures in Diplomas or professional identification cards
 Partial seals on the surface of superimposed pictures but not on the
document surface
 Irregular spacing between words or letters, or insufficient space for
the text
 Poor ink colour and quality

 Signature aberrations including shading and continuity.

Corrections  Evidence of corrected personal data (name, birth date, gender)

 Evidence of white-out, burn-marks, or erasures
 Interrupted/obliterated lines where information is generally typed or
printed.

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C8. Extension: Useful Information

Note: This extension section is provided for information only and will not be covered in self-
assessment tasks or the formal certification examination.

Applications to Represent an Institution

If your agency is looking for new education providers to extend the variety of offerings to prospective
students, it is useful to know what documents they usually ask to submit with your application. The
following example might help you:

 TAFE – Application to become an agent

Cross-cultural information

The following site provides summary information about different cultures and customs around the
world:

Cultural Profiles in the Cultural Atlas

Global International Education Marketing Information

USA

 Open Doors

 Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)

 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)

United Kingdom

 Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

 Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS)

 Independent Schools Council (ISC)

New Zealand

 Education New Zealand (ENZ)

Germany

 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

South Korea

 Ministry of Education (MOE)

Japan

 Ministry of Culture, Education, Science, Sports and Technology (MEXT)

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Verifying documents

To verify documents it may be possible to check with the graduations office of the conferring
institution. However, sometimes this takes an extended period of time, or a response is never received.

Some countries have developed centralised and online verification systems, which are useful tools to
authenticate a qualification. The following are the most current and trusted online systems available:

Australian qualifications

 My eQuals Australia

USA qualifications

 National Student Clearinghouse

Chinese qualifications

 Chinese Credentials Verification

South African qualifications

 Kroll MIE

Miscellaneous

University Student Union (also known as a student guild or association):

 Are present on most university campuses.

 These are part of the network of student organisations that provides services and information to
students.

 Their aim is to promote interaction between students on campus and to meet specific interests.
 Here is an example from the University of Melbourne.

Student clubs and organisations:

 These are groups which students themselves form to meet other students and to arrange activities
of common interest.
 They are usually supported by funds and facilities from the Student Union.

 Typical clubs include sports clubs, national based groups, religious groups and political groups.

Police units:

 These can be specifically set up to handle crime and serious issues relating to international
students. The Victoria Police Asian Squad for example, monitors and intervenes in crimes such as
violence, extortion and kidnapping where international students are involved.
 They have police officers who speak a range of languages and who are dedicated to protecting
the public, including students. These police units are helpful and trustworthy if a student reports a
crime.

Case Management:

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 This describes the process of assessing, investigating and resolving a situation, which involves a
vulnerable student.
 It is used to manage and monitor services and support to resolve the issues for the student.
 A typical case in international education might be that a student is in hospital after a car accident
and a case manager is appointed by the education provider to ensure that relevant people are
informed and take responsibility for ensuring the student is given support to recover and continue
studying.
 Case management processes are also commonly used in health care and in legal cases.

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Ethics (ETH)
This chapter we will be covering:

D1. Overview

D2. Introduction

D3. Case Studies

D4. Extension: Emerging Bad Practice

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D1. Ethics (ETH) Overview

Overview

This Unit looks at the Ethics of the role of Education Counsellor. It will consider:

 An Agent’s Reputation
 Professional Standards

 Ethical Behaviour

It will consider some case studies that illustrate issues around an agent’s professional practice.

D2. Introduction
Overview

A training course cannot force agents to behave correctly if they are determined not to do so.
However, this lesson aims to:

 show some of the damaging practices that sometimes occu

 describe what should be done and
 consider how to avoid such problems in your work role.

Focus Questions

1. What are the effects of agents behaving in dishonest and incompetent ways?
2. Which kinds of professional standards do agents need to meet?

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3. Which kinds of unethical practices do agents need to avoid?

D2.1 An Agent’s Reputation

Students and their parents or guardians spend a lot of time and money to make the best educational
choices that they can. They need to trust the agent they use since many of them probably:

 have not travelled overseas before

 know little about Australia

 do not speak English well

 have limited information about the educational provider
 have only a general understanding of what living in Australia involves.

The large majority of agents that recruit students for educational institutions:

 are hard-working
 are fair in their dealings with students and the institutions they represent
 develop very good reputations among their clients.

Unfortunately, some agents disadvantage their students by acting in an incompetent or

dishonourable way. This has the potential to seriously damage the reputation of:

 themselves and their agencies

 the institutions they represent

 the Australian education system.

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Successful student recruitment is often the result of word-of-mouth recommendations or repeat
business. So, even if only a few agents act with poor standards or ethics, the news can spread quickly
and often bad elements are exaggerated.

Therefore, the improper actions of a small number of agencies can lead to serious consequences.
Students may:

 think the actions are more common than they actually are
 not trust other agencies even though they act correctly at all times

 choose to study in another country or decide not to study abroad at all.

Long-term success

Obviously, different agencies are usually in competition with one another. Poor work practices may be
profitable in the short-term for one particular agency, but they have the potential to eventually
damage not only that agency but other reputable agencies as well.

In summary, an agent is responsible for developing a reputation for excellence to ensure sustainable
long-term business. Maintaining high standards is essential for the continued viability of all agencies.

D2.2 Professional Standards

Successful education agents demonstrate ‘professionalism’ and comply with professional standards.
This means they are committed to their clients, deliver high and consistent levels of service, and have
ethical practices.

Some important examples of proper standards are given below:

Dealing with students

Examples Explanations

Providing sufficient and accurate Students need to able to make an appropriate choice of
information to students course and/or institution.

Keeping adequate records It is essential that agents keep clear and organised records
regarding:
 information provided to students

 biographical data
 copies of documents they have submitted as part of
applications
 copies of correspondence with institutions about a
particular application
 relevant student visa documentation.

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 Maintaining contact after a course
has begun
Having clear cost structures
Responding to questions in a timely
manner
Dealing with institutions
Examples
Submitting applications to
institutions only from students
who have a genuine intention to
study
Agents should continue to maintain contact and help
students with relevant issues as they arise.
Students should be made aware of:
 relevant the costs involved in using an agent
 when and how this money should be paid
 what is not included within an agent’s services.
Agents should answer questions from their students within
a reasonable time period.
Explanations
 Sending applications to a range of institutions for an
individual student can be what a student requests in order
to find out the range of options they have. However, agents
need to be aware that submitting an application to an
institution that the student has no realistic chance or
intention of attending creates unnecessary administrative
work for both the institution and the agent.
 Institutions expect their agents to filter applications and do
not appreciate the considerable work generated to assess
an individual for entry unnecessarily. In practice, many
agencies limit students to applying to no more than 3
institutions at a time.
 At times, students may seek to use multiple agencies to
apply to as many institutions as possible.
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 Communicating appropriately Agents should identify the appropriate individuals to contact in
with organisations regard to:
 student inquiries
 application

 enrolments
 recruitment
 problems that arise.

Agents should consider whether email or other forms of

communication are the most appropriate form for any
particular situation. An email can provide a clear record of what
is being communicated and it’s a very popular form of
communication. But, in some circumstances it may be
necessary to discuss an issue by telephone and then follow up
with an email to confirm what has been understood.

Representing the institution and Agents should have a clear understanding of the institutions
its courses accurately they represent. This includes:
 having a reasonably detailed understanding of the local

environment and facilities available to students

 understanding what a particular course of study involves
 knowing what employment can be expected following the
successful completion of a course.

Advertising with approval Agents should ensure that an institution has explicitly agreed to
any advertising. This includes using the crest or symbol of an
organisation to market an exhibition or publication.

At times, agents believe that having an agent agreement with

an institution provides them with the right to use their materials
and symbols at any time. However, institutions should always
be informed of when their name and reputation is being used.

Dealing with other agents

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 Examples Explanations

Not discounting fees Some agents offer discounts on students’ tuition fees by paying a
without an institution being portion of the institution’s tuition fees themselves. In this manner they
aware seek to encourage more students to their agency. The institution is
normally unaware that this is occurring.

While as a business strategy this is not necessarily wrong or illegal,

often agents who are not planning a long-term business strategy
undertake this practice. They can be individuals without office
premises (and the costs that go with this) who work alone. They
calculate that if they can recruit enough students in this manner, the
commission they receive from the institution will cover the sum that
they have discounted. Unfortunately, they commonly provide very
little (if any) service once a student has been placed and are focused
only on the recruitment of more individuals not on providing quality
service.

Other, more established, long-term agencies lose business to these

types of agents because they have larger business overheads and
provide a comprehensive service. In the end, many of the students
recruited by such short-term agents end up dealing with the more
established agents when they need help once their studies have
begun.

It is important for agents to realise that business practices that drive

other agents out of business with unsustainable discounts are
ultimately bad for all. They lower the reputation of agents as a whole
and focus the agent community on recruitment alone rather than
quality service.

D2.3 Ethics
Being ethical means that agents knowingly choose a correct action rather than an incorrect one.

In a commercial environment, there can be a temptation to ‘cut corners’ or to undertake an activity

that the agent knows is ethically wrong but which gives a commercial advantage.

The London Statement

Standard 4.3.4 of the National Code 2018 states that education agents must have have appropriate
knowledge and understanding Australian International Education and Training Agent Code of
Ethics. It is based on the London Statement, a 2012 landmark statement by the UK, Australia, Ireland
and New Zealand on a best practice approach to ethical recruitment by education agencies.

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The Code of Ethics can be found here. The Ethical framework includes guidance on the following:

 Integrity – being straightforward and honest in all professional and business dealings
 Objectivity – not allowing professional judgment to be compromised by bias or conflict of interest
 Professional competence and due care – maintaining professional knowledge and professional
service, and acting diligently
 Transparency – declaring conflicts of interest to all clients, especially when service fees are
charged to both the education provider and the prospective student
 Confidentiality – respecting and preserving the confidentiality of personal information acquired
and not releasing such information to third parties without proper authority
 Professional behaviour – acting in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and dealing
with clients competently, diligently and fairly and
 Professionalism and purpose – acting in a manner that will serve the interests of clients and the
wider society even at the expense of self-interest; recognising that dedication to these principles is
the means by which the profession can earn the trust and confidence of stakeholder groups
(individual clients, the public, business and government).

The seven principles of the Code of Ethics are below.

1. Agents and consultants practice responsible business ethics.

2. Agents and consultants provide current, accurate and honest information in an ethical manner.

3. Agents and consultants develop transparent business relationships with students and providers
through the use of written agreements.

4. Agents and consultants protect the interests of minors.

5. Agents and consultants provide current and up-to-date information that enables international
students to make informed choices when selecting which agent or consultant to employ.
6. Agents and consultants act professionally.

7. Agents and consultants work with destination countries and providers to raise ethical standards
and best practice.

An ethical agent demonstrates this understanding in their work.

Unethical Practice in Dealings with Students

Examples Explanations

Charging ‘hidden’ fees
Some agents have charged students fees for their services
progressively without informing them from the beginning. For
example, once a student’s application has been sent to
providers, they begin to introduce new charges for student visa
applications, or medical checks. This is unethical behaviour.

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 Misrepresenting fee structures A number of agents have misrepresented the fee structure of
some providers’ courses. For example, a student normally pays
OHSC on enrolment. There have been reports of agents not
informing student’s that OHSC has been included in the fee and
keeping this portion of money. Just before the student applies
for their student visa, they learn from their agent that their
OHSC has not been paid and are asked to pay this money
again.

Placement into a course for An agency may have a limited number of providers that it
commission reasons alone recruits for and can claim commission. So, there is a
without due regard of a students temptation to persuade students to go to one of these
needs providers against the educational interests of the student.

Not protecting students personal In the normal course of their role, agents learn a great deal of
details personal information about their students. It is important that
they:
 treat this information confidentially and carefully

 do not pass this on to other businesses or people without

the permission of the student.

Unethical Practice in Dealings with providers

Examples Explanation

Submitting fraudulent documents In some cases agents have knowingly submitted false
documents to providers and sometimes they have been
involved in creating the false documentation.

While many academic documents can be verified (such as

language test results), other documents can be more difficult
to identify such as work-related testimonials.

Deceptive advertising It is important that advertising does not mislead students, even
though it will seek to inform students of the benefits of studying
at a particular provider or course.

A course outcome can be misleading if false claims are made

about:
 likely employment on successful completion
 a provider’s facilities
 the local environment.

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 Unfair comparisons
Hidden sub-agent networks
Unethical Practice in Dealings with the education industry
Examples
Obtaining student visas for
individuals who do not intend to
study
Not adhering to the legislation
surrounding visa advice
Similar to deceptive advertising, false comparisons can be
drawn between courses or providers to make a course or
provider appear more or less appealing. For example, the name
of a provider may be similar to a prestigious university and
suggestions that the two are linked may unfairly promote the
first provider.
Many agents form business relationships with other agencies,
especially to form co-operative arrangements that allow them
to cover a larger geographical area or represent more
institutions. However, the ESOS Act makes providers responsible
for their agent’s activities and the provider should always
approve where their marketing material is circulated and who
is counselling students on their behalf. Sub-agencies are not a
problem if providers are fully informed of the arrangements.
Some sub-agent networks are hidden from providers, which
believe that one agent alone is recruiting from a particular
region when in fact a number of agencies are recruiting on
their behalf but only one agent submits the documents. This
practice puts the providers at risk under Australian law.
Explanation
Agents need to ensure that individuals come to Australia for
the purpose of study.
For agencies in Australia, the laws governing visa advice
require individuals to be Registered Migration Agents to
provide substantive visa advice. There is a fine line between
providing general study advice and student visa information,
so agencies may be tempted to provide this information
unlawfully.
This does not apply to agencies operating outside of
Australia.
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Being engaged in fraudulent
practices
‘Poaching’ students from other
agents and institutions
Some agents have arranged for other students to sit for the
English language tests on behalf of a student who is weak in
English.
Some agents have acted dishonestly by preparing
inauthentic documents for their student clients.
It is natural that sometimes students wish to change from
using one agent to another. For example, they may not want
to apply to an institution that the first agent does not
represent. However, some agencies engage in systematic
‘poaching’. This means that once a student has gained a
substantial amount of information from one agent, another
agent approaches them and offers some form of
inducement (eg. a fee discount) so the student changes to
apply through the second agent. The original agent gets no
commission for their initial work. Similarly, some agents
induce students to change institutions in the same way
without regard for educational suitability or outcomes.
These practices are harmful as they set agencies and
institutions against one another and promote the idea that
recruitment alone is the only important aspect of an agent’s
role. This neglects the need to provide an on-going support
system to the student.
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D3. Case Studies

Overview

The case studies described in this lesson try to highlight some of the common problems that agents
face in their work.

You will consider a few different situations and make professional judgments about them.

Focus Questions

1. In what circumstances can agents work together?

2. What kind of approval do agents need to obtain from the institutions they represent?

3. What kind of advice can an agent give in Australia and outside of Australia?

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D3.1 Honesty of Employees
This case study is concerned with what agents reveal to their co-workers, students and superiors.

Participants

 You – a counsellor working in an agency

 Another counsellor in your agency

 Students in your country

Situation

 You learn that the other counsellor asks students to pay their tuition fees into his personal account.

 He then pays the student’s fees on time using his own credit card.
 He tells you that it helps the students because they don’t have to deal with anyone else in regard to
their payment.
 He tells you it helps him because he gains the reward points on his card every time he pays the
student’s tuition fees.
 He is a successful counsellor and students like working with him.

Considerations

 Should the counsellor use his personal credit card for business purposes?

 Does the student know that the counsellor is gaining reward points?
 Has the student been given other payment options?

 Has the supervisor of the agency approved this?

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D3.2 Serving more than one Institution

Participants

 You – a counsellor working in an agency

 A prospective student in your country

Situation

 The student is keen to study Engineering in Australia.

 She is not sure about which university or location to study at.

 She wants to apply to as many courses as possible.

 She compiles a list of 20 engineering courses across Australia.

Considerations

 Should you send applications to all 20 institutions?

 Is she likely to be accepted into all the institutions?
 What is an acceptable balance to provide a student with suitable options but not generate
administrative work for institutions?

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D3.3 Unfair Comparisons
In this case study you’ll see how a student can become confused about which pathway to undertake.

Participants

 You – a counsellor working in an agency

 A student
 The student’s friend

Situation

 A student is thinking about undertaking a Diploma of Business program at a TAFE College and then
a Bachelor of Business at an affiliated university. You have an agency agreement with these
institutions.

 His friend says that the foundation program she is studying in will be better for him as it guarantees
entry if he gets the required grades.

 The foundation program is run by a private college that you do not have a recruitment agreement
with.

 The student wants your opinion.

Considerations

 You would prefer to place the student in an institution that you represent and claim commission
from.

 You want to find points of comparison between the two courses that presents the Diploma route in
a favourable manner.

 You want to tell the student the truth.

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D3.4 Sub-agent Networks

Participants

 You – a counsellor working in an agency

 Another counsellor working in a different agency

Situation

 The other counsellor would like you to work with her and her agency. If she has a student who
wants to go to a university that you represent but she does not, she will send the application form
to you and you will process it.
 Vice versa: if you get a student for an institution she has representation for, then you will send the
application form to her.
 You can share the commission in these cases.

Considerations

 How will you agree to share the work and is there a written agreement to do so?
 Are the institutions involved aware of or likely to agree to this practice?
 Will the institutions find out?

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D3.5 Education Advice versus Migration
Advice

Situation

 You have recently set up a new agency to work both onshore and offshore.
 You place advertisements in papers in New Delhi and in Melbourne advertising your services.

 The advertisements offer assistance with identifying study opportunities in Australia with migration
pathways, finding suitable accommodation and obtaining a visa.

Considerations

 What are the regulations that control visa advice?

 Are there any differences between what can be advertised in New Delhi and in Melbourne?

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D3.6 Student Management

Participants

 You – a counsellor working in an offshore agency

 A 22-year-old student currently studying at a university in Australia

Situation

 The student’s laptop was stolen from the classroom in Australia.

 The student contacted you asking for your advice.
 She has not told anyone else because she is afraid that her student visa will be cancelled if she’s
involved in a crime.

Considerations

 What are the legal rights of an overseas student in this case?

 What are the implications for her student visa?

 Who could assist the student a) at the education provider? b) outside of the institute?

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D4. Extension: Emerging Bad Practice
While only a small proportion of the agent community, a few individuals in our industry seek to gain
advantage by unethical means and they will seek ways to avoid scrutiny. The following examples of
problematic practices are emerging and are damaging to the reputation of everybody working in
recruiting students for Australia.

Emerging Issues with SVP

The Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP) regime has enabled certain students and their agents to gain
student visas as part of a SVP package of study but without any intention of studying at the nominated
institution. Once arriving in Australia, some students are withdrawing immediately from the institution
they had enrolled in and are transferring to other ‘cheaper’ institutions often in different sectors. This is
resulting in the original recruiting institution spending considerable administrative time for no benefit
and the original institution ultimately bearing responsibility for these students under the SVP rules. It
also supports a culture of “course hopping”.

Some Agents are facilitating this by:

 Producing fraudulent documents to meet entry requirements or to support requests of withdrawal

from studies and transfer to other providers. There have been cases of letters of offer altered by
agents, particularly with changes to the amount of fees charged.

 Cases of fake flight tickets to support withdrawal requests were discovered by a number of
providers. There was an instance where a significant number of tickets had the same reference
number and were paid with the same credit card.
 Early visa approvals, often two months before formal commencement of courses, are creating the
issue of non-genuine students having the opportunity to find alternative programs and withdraw
from their original provider, before starting their studies.

 Some regional providers identified the issues of students being misled by agents in regards to the
provider’s location. An example was provided where students enrolled in an institution located in
the Sunshine Coast but had to commute every day from Brisbane (over 1 hour).
 A network of people, including education and migration agents and representatives from poor
quality education and training institutions, appear to be active in providing information to
international students on arrival – particularly in regards to course hopping and other poor
practices. Letters requesting withdrawals are usually written very clearly and professionally, with
references to relevant ESOS legislation showing a command of English above that of the student
themselves. A number of letters have been identified as identical, suggesting the systematic
support of non-genuine students in some cases. These students requesting transfers between
providers are usually not interested in counselling or intervention strategies.

Note: This extension section is provided for information only and will not be covered in self-
assessment tasks or the formal certification examination.

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Self Assessment
We hope you found this e-book useful in supporting your studies.

Next, we recommend putting your knowledge to the test before taking the final certification exam
by taking the self-assessments tests for each section. Find them here.

Good luck!

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